Among the sites that most captivated Pesce,
Persepolis—the ancient ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire—held a special place. At the time, archaeological photography was still a new discipline, and detailed visual records of major historical sites were rare. Earlier European visitors had produced drawings and engravings, but no systematic photographic survey of Persepolis had yet been undertaken. Pesce understood that the camera could provide a level of accuracy, scale, and visual authority that no drawing could match. His mission became not only artistic but also documentary: to preserve views of a monumental site that stood as a testament to the grandeur of ancient Iran.
