Portret van een onbekende vrouw op een ezel en een onbekende man te voet, Caïro 1888 - 1895

This photograph of an unknown woman on a donkey and an unknown man on foot in Cairo was taken by Jean Pascal Sébah. The sepia tones create a uniform colour across the image, binding all the elements together. The backdrop is an intricate pattern of squares and rectangles, which creates a rigid grid which contrasts against the organic lines of the palm tree to the left. Through its composition and structure, the photograph can be understood as more than just a portrait. The sharp clarity with which the donkey is captured positions the animal as the focal point. This draws the viewer's eye away from the figures and towards the animal, destabilizing the typical power structure of a portrait. The grid-like structure in the backdrop also mirrors the restrictions that would have been in place in the woman's life. Ultimately, it is through the combination of subject matter and formal arrangement that Sébah has created a complex image, one which can be read in many different ways. Its enduring appeal lies in its capacity for continuous interpretation and re-evaluation.