Pompeii, Pompey’s Lane, Tomb Monument of Mamia
Medium
Salted paper print from a waxed paper negative
Dimensions
Mount: 13 13/16 in. × 19 3/16 in. (35.1 × 48.8 cm) Image: 8 15/16 × 12 7/16 in. (22.7 × 31.6 cm)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Moran Gift, in memory of Louise Chisholm Moran, 2013
Accession Number
2013.954
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the sunlit ruins of ancient Pompeii through this captivating salted paper print from around 1853, titled *Pompeii, Pompey’s, Tomb Monument of Mam*. Captured by pioneering French photographers Firmin-Eugène Le and Gustave Le Gray, image frames the weathered tomb of Mamia—a poignant survivor of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Nestled along Pompey’s Lane, this architectural relic evokes the daily life and commemoration practices of Roman Pompeii, frozen in time amid the site's dramatic ruins. Le Gray, a master of early photography, employed a waxed paper negative to create this delicate salted paper print, a hallmark of the calotype process. This technique, popular in the 1840s–50s, produced soft, tonal images with subtle gradations that beautifully convey the textures of ancient stone against the Mediterranean light. The print's modest scale—about 9 x 12 inches—invites intimate contemplation, highlighting photography's emerging power to document and preserve archaeological treasures. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2013, this work bridges 19th-century innovation with classical antiquity, offering visitors a window into how early photographers immortalized Pompeii's haunting beauty for modern eyes. A testament to ruins' enduring allure, it reminds us of photography's role in safeguarding history.
About the Artist
Firmin-Eugène Le Dien|Gustave Le Gray (French|French) · 1817 |1820 –1865 |1884
French, 1817–1865|French, 1820–1884