Zeilboot op het Suezkanaal 1870 - 1910

This photograph of a sailboat on the Suez Canal was taken by C. & G. Zangaki. The sepia tones are the result of the albumen print process, a popular technique in the late 19th century. What is most interesting is how this photographic print relates to the industrial project of the Suez Canal itself. Opened in 1869, the canal was a massive feat of engineering, drastically shortening trade routes between Europe and Asia. The Zangaki brothers, of Greek origin, operated a photography studio in Egypt and capitalized on the canal's fame, producing images like this one for tourists and commercial purposes. The photograph thus embodies a tension. It presents a seemingly tranquil scene of a traditional sailboat, yet it was produced and consumed within the context of global trade and technological advancement. The very act of capturing and selling this image was part of the broader economic forces reshaping Egypt at the time. It reminds us that even seemingly simple images can be deeply embedded in complex social and economic systems.