Ile de Fîleh (Philæ), Colonnade Occidentale - Ruines Vues du Point L 1851 - 1852

Félix Teynard captured this photograph, "Ile de Fîleh", using the calotype process around 1851-1852, during a time when European interest in Egypt was intensifying. Teynard, a French engineer and photographer, documented Egypt's ancient monuments during a French survey, not long after Egypt had opened up more broadly to Westerners. Look closely at the remnants of the colonnade; it powerfully evokes a sense of history and cultural exchange, but also loss. The photograph becomes an artifact of a colonial gaze, framing Egypt's past through a European lens, especially during a time of colonial expansion and power dynamics. Consider how the image highlights the ruins, emphasizing the passage of time and the perceived decline of a once-great civilization. It prompts reflection on whose stories are told and how they are framed within the larger narrative of history.