Lous Coureurs du Caire c. 19th century

This photograph, by Félix Bonfils, captures two men in Cairo wearing traditional garments. It’s an albumen print, a process popular in the 19th century, where the image is developed on paper coated with egg white. Look closely, and you’ll see the tones are warm, almost sepia-like. This is due to the chemical reaction that occurs during the printing process, and the ways that albumen reacts to light. The material itself tells a story. Photography in this era was becoming more accessible, but it still required skill and specialized knowledge to produce such a detailed image. Bonfils, a French photographer, operated a studio in Beirut, producing countless images that catered to Western fascination with the Middle East. The image captures not just a scene, but also a moment in the history of image-making, shaped by trade, cultural exchange, and the technologies of the time. So, when you look at this photograph, consider the layers of meaning embedded in the materials and the making. It’s a window into a world, yes, but also a reminder of how photography itself is a product of its time.