Luigi Pesce

Luigi Pesce (1828 – 27 November 1864) was a colonel and photographer from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies who traveled to Iran in 1848, during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, to train Iranian infantry units. He was born in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and died in Tehran, Iran. He was buried beside his wife in Doulab Cemetery. who spoke Persian, Turkish, and Greek,

The oldest pictures in this collection were taken between 1852 and 1855. There are three photos of Naser al-Din Shah during his younger years and one group picture in the collection. Most of the images show the architecture of Iran during the 1800s. The images hold a unique historical value and illustrate the lives of people from different social classes, including members of the royal court. Although few women have been captured in the photos, it clearly documents the existing social hierarchy.

Pesce's photos were shown at the World Harris Exhibition in 1867 and received an honorary award.

Persepolis "View 20 – Persépolis. Relief de l'Apadana salle aux Cent colonnes"

Pesce is considered the first photographer to have captured images of Persepolis, Pasargadae and Naqsh-e Rustam. Naser al-Din Shah, who had sent daguerreotypist Jules Richard on an unsuccessful mission to photograph Persepolis in 1850, greatly appreciated Pesce's work. During his reign, he also paid other photographers to come to Iran and capture historical sites.