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Colossal Figure at Abou Simbel, Nubia

Francis Frith

1854

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Colossal Figure at Abou Simbel, Nubia is a 1854 photographic by Francis Frith, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Francis Frith
When & what style?: 1854 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This is a black-and-white photo of a giant stone head carved into a cliffside. The face is smooth, with a calm expression and a tall, narrow crown-like shape on its head. The head sits above what looks like a doorway or temple entrance, with some broken stone and plants at its base. The photo was taken in the 1850s, showing how people documented ancient sites long before digital cameras. Notice how the light and shadows give the stone a three-dimensional feel. Want to see more? Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to find this photo.

The story of this work

Overview

A sepia-toned photograph mounted on an album page depicts a large stone statue of a pharaoh at the site of Abou Simbel in Nubia. The colossal figure is shown seated, with two small human figures positioned on its lap for scale. The photograph was taken by Francis Frith in 1854.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Francis Frith

Francis Frith traveled with a camera and tripod to Egypt in the 1850s, lugging glass plates into temples and desert sites to record the ancient world before modern change.

See the richer artist page