Aleppo, Viewed from the Antioch Gate (252. Alep. 1844. Prise de Bab Antakieh. (publiée)) 1844

This is "Aleppo, Viewed from the Antioch Gate," made in 1844 by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey. The photograph captures a distant view of Aleppo, Syria, from the vantage point of the ancient Antioch Gate. Girault de Prangey was among the first to use the daguerreotype, an early photographic process, in the Middle East. This image is more than just a depiction of a place; it's a document of a specific moment in time, seen through the lens of 19th-century Orientalism, a Western fascination with the "exotic" East. Consider the power dynamics inherent in this act of looking and recording. What does it mean for a European man to capture this image of a city with such a rich, complex history? What does it reveal about his, and our own, assumptions and biases? Look at the textures and the light in the image. Think about the people who lived within those walls, their daily lives, their stories. This photograph invites us to reflect on the layers of history, culture, and identity embedded within this place, and how they intersect with the perspective of the outsider looking in.