Ruïnes in Tyrus before 1875

Francis Frith made this print of the ruins in Tyre. Frith was one of the first British photographers to extensively document the Middle East. His images, like this one, were not just records, but also reflections of Victorian England's fascination with ancient civilizations and its colonial ambitions. The crumbling stones of Tyre, a once-great Phoenician city, symbolize the passage of time and the decline of empires, a popular theme in 19th-century art and literature. Frith’s photographs were widely distributed through albums and books, shaping European perceptions of the Middle East. They contributed to a narrative of Western progress and Eastern decay, reinforcing the idea of European superiority and the need for intervention. To fully understand Frith’s work, we need to consider the social and political context of his time. Exploring archives, historical documents, and travelogues can reveal the complex relationship between photography, colonialism, and the construction of cultural identities.