South End of the Island of Philæ 1857

This albumen print of the island of Philae was made by Francis Frith in the mid-19th century. Frith was one of the first British photographers to travel widely in the Middle East. His images catered to a growing Victorian interest in archeology and the ancient world. Here, we see the ruins of an Egyptian temple complex, framed by the river Nile and the local vegetation. In the foreground, a lone figure stands in contemplation of the ruins, seemingly dwarfed by the landscape. This romantic framing speaks to the popular 19th-century view of the East as an exotic location. The development of photography coincided with the height of British imperialism, and the popularity of these images reinforced a sense of Western dominance and the ‘civilizing’ mission. By examining Frith’s personal archive, and the publications he produced, we can start to unpack the complex historical narratives embedded in this single image. It's a reminder that the meaning of art is always shaped by the time and place in which it was made.