Tempel in Nubië (Zuid-Egypte) c. 1870 - 1898

Maison Bonfils created this photograph of a temple in Nubia, Southern Egypt, using an albumen print. This image embodies a pivotal moment in the history of cultural documentation. The temple, a relic of ancient Nubia, is seen through the lens of 19th-century European Orientalism. The Maison Bonfils, a French photographic studio, capitalized on European interest in the Middle East, producing images that catered to Western aesthetic and cultural expectations. Consider the power dynamics at play: a European studio capturing and selling images of a land with a rich history of its own. How does this commercial act influence our understanding and appreciation of Nubian history? Was this a respectful preservation or a form of cultural exploitation? By exploring travelogues, colonial archives, and the Bonfils studio records, we begin to understand the complex relationship between art, commerce, and cultural representation during this period. This photograph is not just a record of a temple, but a testament to the complex interaction between cultures in the age of exploration and colonialism.