Egypte

Egyptian Archaeology and Early Photography Adelphoi Zangaki Interior of the Temple of Hathor at Dendera Circa 1880s

1885réf. 140491885. Zangaki Adelphoi. Interior of the hypostyle hall at the Temple of Hathor at Dendera circa 1880s records one of Upper Egypt's major surviving temple interiors during the period when commercial photographers produced extensive visual records of Egyptian antiquities for an international audience. The Zangaki studio active in Egypt during the later nineteenth century specialized in views of archaeological sites cities landscapes and life along the Nile. This image preserves the appearance of Dendera's monumental columned interior during the same decade in which British occupation of Egypt began in 1882 and European archaeological and photographic activity in the country continued to expand. Albumen photograph circa 1880s measuring 11 x 8 inches. The view looks through the hypostyle hall of the Temple of Hathor where massive columns rise to capitals carved with the face of Hathor. Sunlight striking the columns and upper masonry emphasizes their scale while the central perspective terminates in a small doorway opening onto a darker interior containing visible rubble. The contrast between the monumental columns and the human scale of the distant doorway gives the photograph a particularly clear record of the hall's architecture and spatial arrangement. Dendera was among the Egyptian sites repeatedly photographed by commercial studios during the nineteenth century when photographs of temples and ancient monuments circulated through the developing European and American market for archaeological and travel imagery. The period also coincided with increasing European political and financial intervention in Egypt and after 1882 British military occupation; these developments formed part of the larger colonial setting in which antiquities excavated objects and photographic records circulated abroad. Small tear near the top margin; otherwise exceptionally well preserved with the architectural details and tonal contrasts remaining clear. Overall near fine condition. unknown

Max Rambod Inc. · États-Unis250,00 $US≈ 223,35 €