Gezicht op de tempels van het eiland Philae c. 1870 - 1890

This albumen print of the island of Philae was made by C. & G. Zangaki, active in Egypt in the late 19th century. It's hard to view this image outside of the long history of Western fascination with ancient Egypt. By the late 1800s, tourism to sites like Philae was booming, turning ancient wonders into commodities. Commercial photography studios emerged to cater to this market, selling picturesque views of temples and landscapes like souvenirs. The Zangaki brothers, of Greek origin, were among the most successful. Their photographs, while seemingly objective, were carefully composed to appeal to European tastes, reinforcing orientalist fantasies of a timeless, exotic land. Understanding this image requires recognizing the power dynamics at play. We might consider: who was buying these images? What expectations did they bring? And how did these photographs contribute to a narrative of Western dominance over the region? By studying travelogues, advertisements, and other archival material, we can better understand the complex social and economic context surrounding this seemingly simple photograph.