Luigi Pesce and the First Photographic Encounters with Persepolis

Pesce’s legacy is closely tied to the broader history of early photography in the Middle East. His work demonstrates how new visual technologies spread across cultural and political boundaries, carried by individuals with diverse professional backgrounds. He embodied the interconnectedness of the era, revealing how military officers, diplomats, photographers, and scholars collaborated—intentionally or unintentionally—in creating new forms of cultural documentation.