Piramiden van Gizeh before 1862

Francis Frith made this photograph of the pyramids of Gizeh in the mid-19th century. Frith was among the first British photographers to capture the Middle East and his work served not only as documentation, but also to stir the Victorian imagination about far-off lands. Photography at this time was in its relative infancy, heavily shaped by the legacy of colonialism. The ‘discovery’ and ‘recording’ of ancient sites like Gizeh was closely tied to European political and economic ambitions in the region. This photograph is found within the pages of a book, turning the image into an element of education, and reinforcing cultural and institutional power. Today, historians might reflect on how Frith’s photographs contributed to a romanticized, sometimes orientalist, view of the Middle East. The image and book were created in a specific social context, revealing how photography was used to frame the relationship between the West and the non-West. Understanding this context helps us look critically at its visual codes and what they tell us about the politics of representation.