Mensen en ezels op het tempelcomplex van Deir el-Bahri c. 1870 - 1890

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, captured circa 1870-1890 by C. & G. Zangaki, presents a view of “People and Donkeys at the Temple Complex of Deir el-Bahri." Editor: My initial impression is one of faded grandeur. It's almost sepia-toned, and evokes a sense of timelessness and the slow decay of civilizations. Curator: Absolutely. The photograph functions almost like a memento mori. It uses the symbolic weight of ancient Egypt as a means for conveying the passing of time, as ruins inevitably hint at a loss. We project the power of its civilization, which is further evoked in modern visual culture like film. Editor: Focusing on materiality, it's incredible how this image captures both the immense scale of the stonework and the seeming fragility of the photographic medium. The soft tones and textures created with gelatin silver, paradoxically, make the scene seem almost ethereal. Curator: The very act of documenting these sites carries symbolic weight too, representing a kind of colonial gaze appropriating and framing a specific vision of ancient Egyptian civilization. It highlights power dynamics, with the Western photographer shaping our view of the past. Editor: Precisely. And looking closer, the presence of local people with donkeys underscores the complex relationship between ancient monumental construction and its modern use and also possible exploitations, raising questions about labor and tourism that are quite critical to acknowledge. How did these images affect Egypt, and Egyptians? Curator: These are poignant reminders. The images become active participants in larger narratives of power and control, acting as potent symbols in this complex exchange. Editor: Examining its materiality and the people included brings historical perspectives to life in this still image, highlighting both exploitation, cultural exchange and complex value judgments from varied points of view. Curator: Yes, seeing how symbolism works alongside social realities opens another pathway for understanding visuality itself.