Ruïne van de tempel van Amenhotep III before 1862

This photograph of the Ruin of the Temple of Amenhotep III was taken by Francis Frith, likely during his expeditions in the 1850s. The sepia tones and sharp contrast present the ruins as both monumental and ethereal. The composition’s vertical orientation, combined with the columns receding into the distance, guide the eye upwards, mimicking the temple's original grandeur. The starkness of the photographic medium captures the temple’s degradation, yet paradoxically, the image immortalizes its form. Frith's work operates within a semiotic system, where the ruins symbolize the decline of ancient civilizations and the passage of time. Through the formal rendering of texture and light, the photograph serves as a cultural document, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of history, memory, and the sublime. The repetitive vertical columns elicit a feeling of standing on edge and create a disorientating feeling. This photographic form destabilizes the common depiction of architecture.