The Approach to Philæ

Art Historical Context

Step into the sun-drenched sands of 19th-century Egypt with Frith's *The Approach to Philæ* (1857), an exquisite albumen silver print from monumental album *Egypt and Palestine, Volume* (1858/60). Capturing the majestic approach to the ancient island temple of Philae—dedicated to the goddess Isis—this photograph draws viewers toward the Nile's shimmering waters and the temple's ornate columns rising like sentinels from Philae Island near Aswan. Frith, a pioneering British photographer, ventured into these remote lands multiple times in the 1850s, braving harsh conditions to document vanishing wonders for Western eyes. The albumen print medium, coated with egg whites for its luminous detail and warm tones, was at the forefront of photography's golden age. Measuring a intimate 16.3 × 23.4 cm, this plate (pl. 10) exemplifies Frith's technical mastery and topographic precision, blending artistry with scientific exactitude. His multi-volume series became instant bestsellers, fueling Victorian fascination with Orientalism and archaeology amid Egypt's growing tourist trade. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Photography and Media Department, *The Approach to Philæ* not only preserves a pre-Nubian flooding vista—later submerged by the Aswan Dam—but also highlights photography's role in bridging distant cultures, inviting us to ponder the timeless allure of ancient Nile rituals.

About the Artist

Francis Frith · 1822–1898

Francis Frith (1822–1898) was born on 7 October 1822 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, into a prosperous Quaker merchant family as the second child and only son of Francis Frith Sr. and Alice Walker. Educated at Quaker schools including Ackworth and Camp Hill in Birmingham from around 1828 to 1838, he apprenticed in the cutlery trade before establishing himself as a wholesale grocer in Liverpool, suppl...