Trajan’s Kiosk on Philae, 1857

About the Work

In the nineteenth century, the public’s appetite for images of the legendary land of Egypt was immense. From 1850 onwards, photographers systematically toured and documented the historic sites. In addition to the sheer number of spectacular ancient relics, their location near the Nile also represented a decisive advantage. Expensive camera equipment could thus be transported relatively safely along the river. The boat in front of the kiosk of Trajan presumably belonged to the photographer, whose portfolio of twenty views of Egypt is today considered his masterpiece.