Baalbec, from the South 1857

"Baalbec, from the South," is a photograph captured by Francis Frith during a period of intense European interest in the Middle East. Frith, an Englishman, positioned himself within the Orientalist tradition, which often exoticized and romanticized non-Western cultures. In this image of Baalbek, Lebanon, what stories do the stones tell? Frith's gaze transforms these ruins into objects of aesthetic and historical significance. The photograph flattens the complex, layered history of Baalbek – a site that bears witness to Phoenician, Roman, Arab, and Ottoman presences. How does the act of photographing itself become an act of possession and interpretation? Frith’s work, while visually compelling, reflects the power dynamics inherent in the colonial gaze. It invites us to reflect on who gets to tell whose story and how these stories shape our understanding of history and culture. Consider the tension between preservation and interpretation, and the emotions evoked when viewing a place through the lens of another's cultural heritage.