In Arab Lands

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This captivating collection of photographs offers a glimpse into the life and landscapes of Ottoman Syria, Palestine, and Egypt during the latter half of the nineteenth century. P. Felix Bonfils, a pioneering French photographer, established a studio in Beirut in 1867 and is recognized for introducing Near Eastern photographic portraiture. The selection features remarkable portraits of Bedouin, Ottoman officials, Shiite Muslims, and village peasants, showcasing the diverse clothing styles of the time. Although many images were posed and some criticized for catering to European exoticism, the Bonfils collection serves as an invaluable social record, including sensitive ethnographic portraits and unobtrusive field shots. The landscapes, panoramic views, and architectural studies of Near Eastern cities and monuments also hold historical significance, documenting sites that have since deteriorated or been reconstructed. Many photographs exhibit masterful geometric composition, with careful framing and models to suggest scale, while others capture movement in water and objects. Some images highlight the contrast between tradition and modernity, exemplified by a Nile bark alongside Cairo’s Qasr al-Nil drawbridge. The fifty-nine black-and-white and color images, sourced from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, encapsulate the monuments, landscapes, and people of the Eastern Mediterranean at a pivo