Interieur van de Tempel van Horus in Edfu c. 1870 - 1890

This photogravure of the interior of the Temple of Horus at Edfu was created by C. & G. Zangaki sometime in the late 19th century. The printmaking technique used here allowed for the photographic image to be etched into a copper plate and then printed – resulting in a high-quality reproduction. The tonal range achieved through the photogravure process captures the texture and weight of the ancient stone structures. You can almost feel the granular surface of the stone, and the crisp rendering of the hieroglyphs shows the extraordinary labor that went into their creation.   The making of this image also carries social significance. The Zangaki brothers were Greek photographers working in Egypt, catering to a growing European market for views of the region. Their business reflects the growth of tourism tied to colonial power structures, and the Western desire to document and possess the ‘exotic’ cultures of the East. Paying attention to materials, making, and context invites us to broaden our understanding of this image, challenging traditional distinctions between documentary and artistic value.