See Francis Frith’s pioneering photos of the Middle East of the 19th century.
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1 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 2 of 34Grand Abu Simbel Temple, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 3 of 34The pyramids of Sakkara, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 4 of 34The Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 5 of 34Luxor, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 6 of 34Colossi and Sphynx at Wady Saboua, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 7 of 34The pyramids of Dahshoor, Egypt, 1857.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 8 of 34Pillars to the god Osiris and a “great fallen colossus” at the Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 9 of 34The brick pyramid of Dahshoor, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 10 of 34Nazareth, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 11 of 34The pyramids of Giza, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 12 of 34"Cleopatra’s Needle," Egyptian obelisk, Alexandria, Egypt, 1870.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 13 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, 1858.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 14 of 34Colossi of Memnon, depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Theban Necropolis, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 15 of 34Girga, Sohag Governorate, upper Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 16 of 34Damascus, Syria, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 17 of 34Aswan, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 18 of 34Valley of the Kings, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 19 of 34Banks of the Nile, Cairo, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 20 of 34Lebanon cedars, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 21 of 34The Ayyubid Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 22 of 34Pyramid at Dahshur, Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 23 of 34Location unspecified (labeled “The Approach to Phil”), 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 24 of 34Area believed to be the biblical city of Bethel, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 25 of 34Cedrus libani, a.k.a. the Cedar of Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 26 of 34Mount Hermon, border of Syria and Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 27 of 34Largest of the cedars, Mount Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 28 of 34View of Mount Moriah from the Well of En Rogel, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 29 of 34Nablus, Northern West Bank, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 30 of 34Spring of Banias, near Mount Hermon, 1857. Source of Banias River, principal tributary of the Jordan River.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 31 of 34Temple of Wady Kardassy, Nubia region, northern Sudan/southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 32 of 34Wâdy Mukhateb, or the “Written Valley,” Sinai, 1857. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 33 of 34Ramesseum, memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:
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33 Rare Photos By Francis Frith Of Egypt From The Mid-1800s View Gallery
British grocer-turned-photographer Francis Frith took up photography in the early 1850s, unaware that he would start developing his negatives in tombs, temples, and caves within a decade.
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1 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 2 of 34Grand Abu Simbel Temple, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 3 of 34The pyramids of Sakkara, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 4 of 34The Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 5 of 34Luxor, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 6 of 34Colossi and Sphynx at Wady Saboua, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 7 of 34The pyramids of Dahshoor, Egypt, 1857.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 8 of 34Pillars to the god Osiris and a “great fallen colossus” at the Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 9 of 34The brick pyramid of Dahshoor, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 10 of 34Nazareth, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 11 of 34The pyramids of Giza, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 12 of 34"Cleopatra’s Needle," Egyptian obelisk, Alexandria, Egypt, 1870.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 13 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, 1858.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 14 of 34Colossi of Memnon, depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Theban Necropolis, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 15 of 34Girga, Sohag Governorate, upper Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 16 of 34Damascus, Syria, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 17 of 34Aswan, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 18 of 34Valley of the Kings, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 19 of 34Banks of the Nile, Cairo, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 20 of 34Lebanon cedars, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 21 of 34The Ayyubid Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 22 of 34Pyramid at Dahshur, Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 23 of 34Location unspecified (labeled “The Approach to Phil”), 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 24 of 34Area believed to be the biblical city of Bethel, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 25 of 34Cedrus libani, a.k.a. the Cedar of Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 26 of 34Mount Hermon, border of Syria and Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 27 of 34Largest of the cedars, Mount Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 28 of 34View of Mount Moriah from the Well of En Rogel, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 29 of 34Nablus, Northern West Bank, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 30 of 34Spring of Banias, near Mount Hermon, 1857. Source of Banias River, principal tributary of the Jordan River.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 31 of 34Temple of Wady Kardassy, Nubia region, northern Sudan/southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 32 of 34Wâdy Mukhateb, or the “Written Valley,” Sinai, 1857. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 33 of 34Ramesseum, memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 2 of 34Grand Abu Simbel Temple, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 3 of 34The pyramids of Sakkara, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 4 of 34The Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 5 of 34Luxor, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 6 of 34Colossi and Sphynx at Wady Saboua, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 7 of 34The pyramids of Dahshoor, Egypt, 1857.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 8 of 34Pillars to the god Osiris and a “great fallen colossus” at the Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 9 of 34The brick pyramid of Dahshoor, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 10 of 34Nazareth, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 11 of 34The pyramids of Giza, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 12 of 34"Cleopatra’s Needle," Egyptian obelisk, Alexandria, Egypt, 1870.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 13 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, 1858.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 14 of 34Colossi of Memnon, depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Theban Necropolis, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 15 of 34Girga, Sohag Governorate, upper Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 16 of 34Damascus, Syria, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 17 of 34Aswan, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 18 of 34Valley of the Kings, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 19 of 34Banks of the Nile, Cairo, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 20 of 34Lebanon cedars, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 21 of 34The Ayyubid Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 22 of 34Pyramid at Dahshur, Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 23 of 34Location unspecified (labeled “The Approach to Phil”), 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 24 of 34Area believed to be the biblical city of Bethel, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 25 of 34Cedrus libani, a.k.a. the Cedar of Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 26 of 34Mount Hermon, border of Syria and Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 27 of 34Largest of the cedars, Mount Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 28 of 34View of Mount Moriah from the Well of En Rogel, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 29 of 34Nablus, Northern West Bank, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 30 of 34Spring of Banias, near Mount Hermon, 1857. Source of Banias River, principal tributary of the Jordan River.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 31 of 34Temple of Wady Kardassy, Nubia region, northern Sudan/southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 32 of 34Wâdy Mukhateb, or the “Written Valley,” Sinai, 1857. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 33 of 34Ramesseum, memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 2 of 34Grand Abu Simbel Temple, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 3 of 34The pyramids of Sakkara, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 4 of 34The Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 5 of 34Luxor, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 6 of 34Colossi and Sphynx at Wady Saboua, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 7 of 34The pyramids of Dahshoor, Egypt, 1857.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith 8 of 34Pillars to the god Osiris and a “great fallen colossus” at the Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 9 of 34The brick pyramid of Dahshoor, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 10 of 34Nazareth, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 11 of 34The pyramids of Giza, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 12 of 34"Cleopatra’s Needle," Egyptian obelisk, Alexandria, Egypt, 1870.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 13 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, 1858.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 14 of 34Colossi of Memnon, depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Theban Necropolis, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 15 of 34Girga, Sohag Governorate, upper Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 16 of 34Damascus, Syria, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 17 of 34Aswan, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith 18 of 34Valley of the Kings, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 19 of 34Banks of the Nile, Cairo, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 20 of 34Lebanon cedars, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 21 of 34The Ayyubid Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 22 of 34Pyramid at Dahshur, Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 23 of 34Location unspecified (labeled “The Approach to Phil”), 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 24 of 34Area believed to be the biblical city of Bethel, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 25 of 34Cedrus libani, a.k.a. the Cedar of Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 26 of 34Mount Hermon, border of Syria and Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 27 of 34Largest of the cedars, Mount Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 28 of 34View of Mount Moriah from the Well of En Rogel, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 29 of 34Nablus, Northern West Bank, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 30 of 34Spring of Banias, near Mount Hermon, 1857. Source of Banias River, principal tributary of the Jordan River.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 31 of 34Temple of Wady Kardassy, Nubia region, northern Sudan/southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 32 of 34Wâdy Mukhateb, or the “Written Valley,” Sinai, 1857. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 33 of 34Ramesseum, memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith
2 of 34Grand Abu Simbel Temple, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
3 of 34The pyramids of Sakkara, Egypt, 1858.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith
4 of 34The Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
5 of 34Luxor, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
6 of 34Colossi and Sphynx at Wady Saboua, Nubia, southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
7 of 34The pyramids of Dahshoor, Egypt, 1857.Wikimedia Commons/Francis Frith
8 of 34Pillars to the god Osiris and a “great fallen colossus” at the Ramesseum temple at Thebes, Egypt, 1862.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
9 of 34The brick pyramid of Dahshoor, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
10 of 34Nazareth, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
11 of 34The pyramids of Giza, Egypt, circa 1862-1863.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
12 of 34"Cleopatra’s Needle," Egyptian obelisk, Alexandria, Egypt, 1870.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
13 of 34The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx, 1858.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
14 of 34Colossi of Memnon, depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Theban Necropolis, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
15 of 34Girga, Sohag Governorate, upper Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
16 of 34Damascus, Syria, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
17 of 34Aswan, Egypt, circa 1858-1859.New York Public Library/Francis Frith
18 of 34Valley of the Kings, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
19 of 34Banks of the Nile, Cairo, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
20 of 34Lebanon cedars, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
21 of 34The Ayyubid Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
22 of 34Pyramid at Dahshur, Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
23 of 34Location unspecified (labeled “The Approach to Phil”), 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
24 of 34Area believed to be the biblical city of Bethel, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
25 of 34Cedrus libani, a.k.a. the Cedar of Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
26 of 34Mount Hermon, border of Syria and Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
27 of 34Largest of the cedars, Mount Lebanon, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
28 of 34View of Mount Moriah from the Well of En Rogel, Jerusalem, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
29 of 34Nablus, Northern West Bank, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
30 of 34Spring of Banias, near Mount Hermon, 1857. Source of Banias River, principal tributary of the Jordan River.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
31 of 34Temple of Wady Kardassy, Nubia region, northern Sudan/southern Egypt, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
32 of 34Wâdy Mukhateb, or the “Written Valley,” Sinai, 1857. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
33 of 34Ramesseum, memorial temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, Thebes, 1857.The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Francis Frith
34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:
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33 Rare Photos By Francis Frith Of Egypt From The Mid-1800s View Gallery
33 Rare Photos By Francis Frith Of Egypt From The Mid-1800s View Gallery
33 Rare Photos By Francis Frith Of Egypt From The Mid-1800s View Gallery
33 Rare Photos By Francis Frith Of Egypt From The Mid-1800s View Gallery
33 Rare Photos By Francis Frith Of Egypt From The Mid-1800s
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In 1856, Francis Frith traveled to Egypt to photograph ancient monuments using a mobile wicker darkroom in the darkest spots he could find. This allowed him to achieve his striking photographic results in a land of overwhelming light and heat. This so-called collodion process had to be completed within 15 minutes as well, which added a layer of drama to the proceedings.
Francis Frith’s resulting photographs received such wide acclaim that he returned to Palestine, Syria, and Egypt twice before 1860, traveling farther up the Nile than any shutterbug before him. His pioneer spirit in this regard was a valuable commodity in the mid-19th century West, when photographic “proof” of the Holy Land was in high demand.
Whether it was the Holy Land or elsewhere, Frith believed that photographs could capture the essence of a space unlike any other medium. Photographs, Frith said, could achieve “far beyond anything that is in the power of the most accomplished artist to transfer to his canvas.”
Frith’s success as a commercial photographer enabled him to establish F. Frith & Co., which specialized in postcards of Britain and the Middle East. After years of enduring “smothering little tents” to build his company and his legacy, Frith switched gears to a managerial role.
His new project involved photographing every notable and historic site in the United Kingdom, a project that required hiring additional photographers. Combined with his postcards of the Holy Land, Frith built a company that his family ran until 1971.
The gallery above is a digital alternative to flipping through these Victorian-era photos depicting a mix of Old Testament sites and Egyptian ruins in striking, sandy sepia tones.
After this look at the work of Francis Frith, check out mid-19th century photos decaying in beautiful ways. Then, have a look at the early 20th century, pro-Western Iraq that is now all but forgotten.
