Pyramides de Gizèh 1865 - 1869

This photograph of the Pyramids of Giza was made by Gustave Le Gray sometime in the 19th century. As photography took hold in Europe, there was increasing interest in documenting world heritage sites. Consider the role of photography in shaping European perceptions of non-Western cultures. How might this image contribute to a sense of orientalism or exoticism? Le Gray was French, and this photograph was made during a period of increasing French colonial expansion. One might ask how this photograph might have served France's imperial ambitions. To further understand the social context of this image, one might look at the history of photography and its relationship to colonialism. In addition, contemporary travel writing and accounts of the Middle East might help to illuminate the cultural assumptions that shaped this image. Understanding art always requires engaging with its institutional and cultural setting.