Second Giza Pyramid, 1860–1869
Albumen print
Image dimensions23,7 × 31,5 cm
About the workPictures like these have perpetuated clichés. Wilhelm Hammerschmidt’s photographic views served as attractive souvenirs for tourists. He did not claim to faithfully depict the reality of life in Egypt. Rather, his choice of motifs was stereotypical: pyramids and mosques, camels and palm trees. People deliberately placed in the foreground convey an impression of the dimensions of the structures. The prints were disseminated throughout Europe and played a decisive role in shaping the image of the so-called “Orient” that continues to resonate today.
AccessionGift 2019
Provenance[...]; o.D. Kicken Berlin erworben aus einer Privatsammlung, Österreich; 2019 erworben durch Schenkung von Kicken Berlin in Erinnerung an Rudolf Kicken
Inventory numberF.2019.316
