Colosse monolithe d'Amenophis III, à Thèbes

Art Historical Context

Step into the shadows of ancient Egypt with Maxime Du Camp's *Colosse monolithe d'Aophis III, à Thèbes*, captured on 9, 1850. This salted paper print from a paper negative—a pioneering calotype process—depicts the towering monolithic colossus of Amenhotep III in Thebes (modern Luxor). Standing as one of the largest single-block statues from Egypt's New Kingdom (c. 1390–1352 BCE), it exemplifies the pharaoh's divine power and architectural ambition, seated guardians that once flanked temple entrances. Du Camp, a French writer and photographer, documented this marvel during his 1849–1851 expedition with Gustave Flaubert, producing some of the earliest photographs of Egyptian antiquities. The salted paper technique, invented by William Henry Fox Talbot, yields a soft, textured image with subtle tonal gradations, capturing the colossal scale and weathered details against a stark landscape. At 7 11/16 × 6 1/4 inches, the print invites intimate contemplation of monumental history. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this photograph bridges 19th-century exploration with pharaonic grandeur, highlighting photography's role in preserving and popularizing ancient wonders for global audiences. A testament to early travel photography's cultural impact.

About the Artist

Maxime Du Camp · 1822–present

Maxime Du Camp (1822–1894) was a pioneering French photographer and writer whose adventurous spirit and technical innovation bridged literature and visual art during the mid-19th century. Born in Paris on February 8, 1822, to a prosperous family—his father a successful surgeon—Du Camp received a solid bourgeois education at the Collège Bourbon (now Lycée Condorcet), where he cultivated interests i...