Veertien scarabeeën en twee andere objecten, opgesteld in het Boulaq Museum in Caïro, Egypte before 1871

This photograph of fourteen scarabs and two other objects, displayed at the Boulaq Museum in Cairo, Egypt, was taken by Hippolyte Délié. Délié’s photograph exists in a complex colonial context. Taken during a time when Egyptology and the fascination with ancient Egypt were intensifying in Europe, we have to consider who had access to these artifacts. The photograph becomes a tool for European scholars and enthusiasts, allowing them to possess a visual claim over Egyptian heritage. Here, Délié’s lens captures not just the objects but also the setting, with the museum display cases indicating a curatorial narrative that was deeply implicated in colonial power dynamics. Photography at this time played a critical role in constructing and disseminating Western perceptions of other cultures. It’s a reminder of how images can both preserve and participate in complex stories about identity, power, and cultural heritage.