Bas Relief at Nakshi Rustam 1858

This photograph of the Bas Relief at Nakshi Rustam was taken by Luigi Pesce, sometime in the 19th century, using the then-new technology of photography. As a photographic print, it doesn't have the same material presence as the bas relief, but its materiality lies in the chemical processes used to produce it, where light-sensitive compounds react to light and create the image. The tone is sepia, determined by the chemicals used in its printing. The photograph shows a rock relief likely from the Sasanian period. The labour required to create the bas relief would have been intensive, involving teams of skilled artisans working directly on the rock face. Pesce’s photograph speaks to the social and cultural context of documentation and preservation, showing how photography could capture and disseminate images of important cultural sites. Photographs like this helped democratize access to art and architecture, as well as preserve knowledge of works that might be otherwise inaccessible or at risk of degradation. This print is a reminder that the value of an image isn't just in what it depicts, but in the story of its own making and cultural journey.