Karnac, Grande Allée du Milieu des Ruines, Prise de l'est
1859/60
Medium
Albumen print
Dimensions
Image/paper: 28 × 20.9 cm (11 1/16 × 8 1/4 in.); Mount: 57.8 × 45.8 cm (22 13/16 × 18 1/16 in.)
Classification
albumen silver print
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
154273
Art Historical Context
Step into the majestic ruins of Karnak, ancient Egypt's sprawling temple complex, through Louis De Clercq's *Karnac, Grande All du Milieu des Ru, Prise de l'est* (1859/60). This albumen silver print captures the "Great Avenue in the Middle of the Ruins from an eastern vantage, showcasing towering columns and weathered sphinxes amid the vast Hypostyle Hall. De Clercq, a French photographer, documented these wonders during a time when European artists and scholars flocked to the Nile Valley, fueled by Romantic fascination with the Orient. Created in the nascent era of photography, just two deca...