Gezicht op het Gezirah Palace in Caïro 1869 - 1885

Curator: Standing before us is Félix Bonfils' albumen print titled 'Gezicht op het Gezirah Palace in Caïro', created sometime between 1869 and 1885. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s oddly dreamlike, almost floating. The sepia tones lend it a softness, a removed quality, but also, I am captivated by the repetition, the colonnades drawing the eye inexorably into the distance. Curator: Indeed, that tonal range and composition, common to albumen prints, provide the atmosphere we might associate with the orientalist aesthetic. Look closely at how Bonfils employs architectural elements: the arches, the rhythmic windows and the long facade… What does it say to you? Editor: The meticulous arrangement of forms speaks of order and grandeur. But more interestingly, that ornate facade contrasted with what seem to be classical statues along the garden edge implies the overlaying of cultures, a kind of visual semiotic that fascinates the Western observer. And I can only guess about the palace itself, now the Cairo Marriott Hotel! Curator: Exactly. Beyond the visual charm, these details reveal a narrative about Egypt in that period. Consider photography’s rise—and its use as a document and souvenir—aligning with imperial expansion and the growing Western fascination with the "Orient". Bonfils capitalizes on this with his crisp lines. It also subtly implies authority and control... a controlling gaze even. Editor: Yes, there's a kind of detached precision, an objectification in the way it presents the palace. Yet it’s hard not to be swept away by its elegance, that interplay of light and shadow animating its structure. There is real charm in its almost nostalgic, melancholic ambiance. Curator: I completely agree. It's where the art and the politics wrestle. Bonfils has created not just an image, but an artifact layered with interpretations, inviting dialogue across time. Editor: Definitely. A perfect snapshot—pun intended—of history perceived through both artistry and power. A lovely way to spend a few moments here today.