Edfou (Apollonopolis Magna), Vue Générale du Temple 1851 - 1852

Félix Teynard made this photograph, "Edfou (Apollonopolis Magna), Vue Générale du Temple," using a calotype negative, a process which created a slightly less sharp image than other methods. Teynard was part of a wave of 19th-century European photographers drawn to Egypt. His images document a moment of intense cultural exchange, or perhaps more accurately, cultural appropriation. As Europe expanded its empires, places like Egypt became both a source of fascination and a site of colonial ambition. Teynard's photographs, while appearing objective, were shaped by his own cultural perspective and the power dynamics of the time. Consider the act of viewing such a photograph then and now. What does it mean to look at a place through the lens of someone from another culture? How does this lens shape our understanding and perception? This image invites us to reflect on the complex layers of history, representation, and power inherent in the act of seeing.