Western Approach to the Acropolis, Athens (49. Athènes. 1842. Acropole. Côté O.)
Medium
Daguerreotype
Dimensions
Image: 3 11/16 × 9 1/2 in. (9.3 × 24.1 cm)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Philippe de Montebello Fund, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Moran Gift, in memory of Louise Chisholm Moran, Joyce F. Menschel and Annette de la Renta Gifts, and funds from various donors, 2016 (2016.92)
Accession Number
2016.92
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the dawn of photography with *Western Approach to the Acropolis Athens* (1842), a pioneering daguerreotype by French and traveler Joseph-Philibert Gir de Prangey.uring the majestic ruins of Athens' iconic citadel from the west, this intimate 3 11/16 × 9 1/2-inch image reveals the Propylaea gateway and ancient fortifications bathed in crisp Mediterranean light. Girault de Prangey, an architect turned photographer, ventured to Greece that very year, making this one of the earliest surviving photographs of the Acropolis—a testament to 19th-century wanderlust and technological innovation. The daguerreotype process, invented just three years prior in 1839, produced a one-of-a-kind mirror-like image on a silvered copper plate, demanding steady hands and long exposures. Girault de Prangey's panoramic horizontal format masterfully conveys the site's grandeur amid classical ruins, blending architectural precision with the raw poetry of decay. His Middle Eastern expedition yielded hundreds of such plates, revolutionizing how we document and preserve antiquity. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2016, this fragile gem bridges art and history, inviting us to ponder the Acropolis not just as marble legacy, but as a frozen moment in photography's infancy. A must-see for lovers of ruins and innovation alike!
About the Artist
Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey · 1804–1892
Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey (1804–1892), born in Langres, France, as the sole surviving child of Claude Joseph Girault and Barbe Philiberte Rosine Piétrequin, inherited the lordships of Genevrières and Prangey, adopting his full surname in 1825. After studies at Langres college and in Paris, where he earned baccalauréats in letters (1826) and law (1828), he pursued artistic training under ...