Kalatt-El-Athlit, Côté de la Terre
c. 1860
Medium
Albumen print
Dimensions
Image/paper: 20.8 × 55.4 cm (8 1/4 × 21 13/16 in.); Mount: 45.2 × 60.9 cm (17 13/16 × 24 in.)
Classification
photography
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
191265
Art Historical Context
In the mid-19th century, photographer Louis De Clercq captured the rugged beauty and historical depth of the Middle East during his travels as a naval officer. *Kalatt-El-Athlit, Côté de la Terre (c. 1860) showcases the "land side" of Crusader-era fortress at Athlit, strategic coastal stronghold near modern-day Haifa, Israel. This albumen print, measuring 20.8 × 55.4 cm, preserves the site's imposing stone walls and towers against a stark landscape, offering visitors a window into a medieval bastion that guarded pilgrims and withstood sieges for centuries. As one of the earliest photographic ...