Twee mannen op dromedarissen bij de Piramide van Cheops en de Sfinx van Gizeh 1911 - 1919

This is a rather faded stereoscopic image of two men on camels by the Pyramid of Cheops and the Sphinx of Gizeh, made by an anonymous artist. I’m struck by the limited palette: pale sand, pale sky, with the faintest suggestions of colour on the camel’s saddle blankets. It’s a study in near-monochrome, as if the scene has been bleached by the sun. Looking at the surface, you can see the texture of the photographic paper, its graininess almost creating a sense of atmosphere. The pyramids and the sphinx look solid and immutable. They seem almost carelessly placed, yet dominate the entire scene. The small figures on camels in the foreground are dwarfed by comparison, but I can imagine the photographer focusing on the textural qualities of the sand, and that pale, bleached light. Like a visual poem, inviting contemplation rather than demanding attention.