Tête du Sphynx 1858 - 1862

Wilhelm Hammerschmidt made this photograph, Tête du Sphynx, in the mid-19th century, using a process called albumen silver printing. At the time, photography was still a relatively new medium, celebrated for its seemingly objective record of the world. Yet, as this image demonstrates, even in its early days photography was always a constructed vision. The tonal range, from creamy whites to rich browns, results from coating paper with albumen, derived from egg whites, and then exposing it to light through a negative. Here, Hammerschmidt captures the imposing head of the Sphinx, with the pyramids in the background. This image speaks to the burgeoning tourist industry in Egypt, and the Western fascination with ancient monuments. The very act of capturing the Sphinx through photography was a form of appropriation, turning a monumental sculpture into a portable commodity. The albumen print, with its delicate surface and subtle gradations, transformed the immense scale of the Sphinx into a readily consumable object. A powerful reminder of the intersection between art, commerce, and cultural exchange in the 19th century.