Profile du grande Sphinx, pris du Sud 1849

This photograph of the Great Sphinx, taken from the south, was made by Maxime Du Camp during his travels in Egypt in the mid-19th century. Du Camp was part of a wave of European artists and scholars who journeyed to Egypt, fueled by both scientific curiosity and colonial ambition. This image captures the Sphinx, a symbol of ancient Egyptian civilization, but also reflects the gaze of the European colonizer. The photograph highlights the monument's grandeur, but it simultaneously transforms the Sphinx into an object of Western study and possession. Consider the power dynamics inherent in this act of documentation, as the foreign photographer captures the image of an ancient, deeply symbolic monument. Du Camp’s photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the complex interplay between cultural heritage, colonial power, and the act of seeing. It invites us to reflect on whose stories are told, whose perspectives are valued, and how photography itself can be a tool of both preservation and appropriation.