Egypt and the Holy Land in Historic Photographs: Seventy-Seven Views (Dover Photography Collections) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Julia Van Haaften (Author)

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In 1856 Francis Frith set out for Egypt, intending to photograph the great archeological finds of his day. He traveled by boat, on horseback, and by camel, carrying his bulky photographic equipment with him, and in the course of his wanderings he captured the stark majesty of some of the Middle East's greatest monuments. Now, 77 of his best photographs from Egypt have been compiled in one book, Egypt and the Holy Land in Historic Photographs. Here you'll find stunning images of a bygone era: the Sphinx buried up to its neck in sand; the Temple of Karnak before its rubble-choked halls were cleared; Luxor while it was still being used to store grain. The black-and-white photographs depict the wonder and grandeur of both the monuments and Egypt herself, while the accompanying text comments on the subject as it was in Frith's day and as it appears now. There's also an extensive foreword detailing Francis Frith's fascinating life.

Shutterbugs will appreciate the difficulty of Frith's work and his precise eye; armchair travelers will enjoy daydreaming about an age when grand tours were made by boat and rail, and almost any trip qualified as adventure travel. While it can be enjoyed and appreciated by most anyone, Egypt and the Holy Land will appeal particularly to photographers, travelers, and Egyptologists.

Product Details

• Paperback: 77 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (January 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486240487
• ISBN-13: 978-0486240480
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,252,420 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Photographs of a lost world, February 7, 2003

By	K. Maxwell "katmax1" (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

If the Egypt and holy land of the 19th century explorers interest you - or if you love David Roberts prints of Egypt and want to see what the temples look like from an objective view, then this book is for you. The photos presented here were taken by Francis Firth a Derbyshire photographer who travelled to Egypt and the middle east a number of times in the 1850's and 60's and recorded what he saw with these fantastic photographs.

The photos are all clear, beautiful shots, like the best of 19th century photography. You get to see views like The Pyramids of Giza and Dahshur, the temples of Dendera, Karnak, Luxor, Thebes and Edfu all buried in sand or in their "original" ruined 19th century state. In addition to the wonderful parade of Egyptian photos there are also scenes from Jerusalem, Gaza, the dead sea and Baalbek in Lebanon.

This is a wonderful book that takes you on a visual trip to the past. Recommended for anyone interested in Egypt or 19th century photography.