Great Burial Ground, Pera 1838

John Frederick Lewis created this lithograph called Great Burial Ground, Pera. Lewis was part of a cadre of artists in the 19th century who specialized in what was then termed "Orientalist" painting. This work offers an intimate glimpse into a burial ground located in Pera, now known as Beyoğlu, in Istanbul. The figures present are rendered in detail, their garments and postures suggesting a quiet, contemplative existence against the backdrop of the city. What does it mean to look and to record? Lewis’s own identity as an outsider shapes what he chooses to depict and how he interprets the scenes before him. These choices, though, also inevitably perpetuate a Western gaze, one that exoticizes and essentializes the cultures it encounters. This lithograph isn't just a visual record, but also an emotional and ideological artifact. It offers a window into the complex exchange between cultures, challenging us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in artistic representation.