Some of the oldest photos you will ever see

Kings and Things
15 May 202320:12
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn the spring of 1842, Joseph Filibal Shirodeponche, a wealthy French scholar and artist, embarked on a grand tour of the Orient, capturing over a thousand photographs of architecture, landscapes, and local people with his camera, a novel tool at the time. His journey through Italy, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and the Levant resulted in a historical treasure trove of images documenting places that have since been altered or disappeared. Despite the significance of his work, Shirodeponche's photographs were forgotten until rediscovered 20 years ago, highlighting his contributions to early photography and the preservation of Eastern Mediterranean heritage.

Takeaways
  • 👨‍🎨 In 1842, the French scholar and artist Joseph Philibert Girault de Prangey embarked on a grand tour of the Orient to study and document its architecture and culture through the lens of the newly invented camera.
  • 🌃 Girault de Prangey's journey covered Italy, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and the Levant, capturing over a thousand photographs that are among the earliest surviving images of these regions.
  • 💻 He utilized the daguerreotype process, a pioneering photography technique, to create detailed and accurate visual records of architectural marvels, landscapes, and local people.
  • 👧🏻‍🎨 Born in 1804 in France, Girault de Prangey was an avid traveler and artist who dedicated his life to his passions after inheriting a fortune from his parents.
  • 🗺‍♻️ His work in the 1840s is notable for its artistic sensibility, blending technical photographic skill with an eye for drama and composition.
  • 🌍 The photographs provide a unique glimpse into the past, showing many sites that have since been altered or no longer exist, making them invaluable historical documents.
  • 📚 Despite his significant contributions to early photography and cultural documentation, Girault de Prangey's work was largely forgotten until the late 20th century.
  • 🌀 His journey not only highlighted the potential of photography as a tool for architectural and archaeological documentation but also set a precedent for future visual documentation of cultural heritage.
  • 📈 Upon his return to France, he produced publications based on his travels, although they did not achieve the success he had hoped for, leading him to eventually abandon the project.
  • 👍 The rediscovery of Girault de Prangey's daguerreotypes in the early 20th century has allowed for a reevaluation of his contribution to photography and our understanding of 19th-century Eastern Mediterranean cultures.
Q & A

  • Who was Joseph Girault de Prangey?

    -Joseph Girault de Prangey was a wealthy French scholar, artist, and one of the earliest photographers. In 1842, he embarked on a grand tour of the Orient to document ancient and Islamic architecture through photographs.

  • What was the significance of his photographic journey?

    -Girault de Prangey's photographs are, with the exception of Italy, the earliest surviving images of the countries he visited, including Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and the Levant. His work captured a remarkable historical treasure of the Eastern Mediterranean world nearly 200 years ago.

  • How did he approach photography during his journey?

    -Girault de Prangey not only photographed architectural monuments and landscapes but also captured street scenes, local people, and everyday life. He arranged his photographs artistically to produce a sense of drama or mystery, setting him apart from many other early photographers.

  • What are some of the notable locations he photographed in Rome?

    -In Rome, Girault de Prangey photographed the Roman Forum, triumphal arches, Baroque churches, the Colosseum, and even captured everyday scenes like oxen resting and fishermen by the town of Nemi.

  • What did he photograph in Athens?

    -In Athens, Girault de Prangey captured some of the earliest surviving photographs of the Acropolis and its monuments, including a medieval Frankish tower that was later demolished.

  • What did he document in Cairo?

    -In Cairo, Girault de Prangey spent several months studying and photographing medieval funerary domes, minarets, and mosques from the Mamluk period, as well as capturing portraits of local people like camel drivers and street beggars.

  • What other regions did he visit during his journey?

    -Apart from Italy, Greece, and Egypt, Girault de Prangey also visited and photographed sites in Turkey (including Constantinople/Istanbul), the Levant (present-day Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine), and Syria (including Damascus, Aleppo, and the ruins of Baalbek).

  • What happened to Girault de Prangey's photographs after his return to France?

    -Despite his intentions to publish his work, Girault de Prangey's photographs were largely forgotten and packed away in crates in his attic. It wasn't until the early 20th century that his photographic legacy was rediscovered and brought to public attention.

  • What made Girault de Prangey's photographic approach unique for his time?

    -Girault de Prangey had an artistic sensibility in arranging his photographs, unlike many early photographers who were primarily technicians or inventors. He aimed to produce a sense of drama or mystery in his images.

  • How did his photographic work contribute to the study of ancient and Islamic architecture?

    -Girault de Prangey's photographs provided an invaluable visual record of ancient and Islamic architectural monuments in the Eastern Mediterranean region, many of which have since undergone alterations or destruction. His work preserved these sites as they appeared in the mid-19th century.

Outlines
00:00
📸 The Beginnings of Joseph Giroud Pangea's Journey

In 1842, Joseph Giroud Pangea, a French scholar and artist, embarked on a grand tour of the Orient to study archaeology and Islamic architecture, planning to publish his findings. Armed with a camera, a novel tool at the time, he documented over a thousand photographs of diverse subjects across Italy, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and the Levant. His work, capturing places that have since changed or vanished, represents some of the earliest photographic documentation of these regions. Despite the significance of his contributions, Giroud Pangea's photographs remained largely unknown until the last 20 years, now serving as a valuable historical record.

05:02
🏛 Journey Through Italy and Rome

Giroud Pangea's journey began in Marseille, France, and took him to Italy, stopping in Genoa before reaching Rome, where he stayed at the Villa Medici. In Rome, he captured a multitude of subjects, from monumental architecture like the Roman Forum to everyday life scenes. His work during this period was detailed, including both wide shots of architecture and intimate portraits of locals, showcasing his intent to document both the grandiose and the mundane aspects of the places he visited.

10:02
🕌 Explorations in Athens and Egypt

After Rome, Giroud Pangea ventured to Athens, documenting its ancient monuments amidst the city's transformation into a modern capital. His journey then extended to Egypt, where he was fascinated by Cairo's Islamic architecture. Despite planning only a brief stay, the richness of Cairo's history compelled him to return for further exploration. He captured various aspects of Egyptian life and architecture, from the oldest mosques to local inhabitants, reflecting a deep engagement with the cultural and historical landscape.

15:02
📷 Through the Levant and Return to France

Giroud Pangea's travels also included the Levant, where he documented the diverse architecture and peoples of the region, including Jerusalem and its surroundings. His approach combined a focus on significant historical sites with attention to the everyday, capturing the essence of the places he visited. Ultimately, Giroud Pangea returned to France with a vast collection of photographs and other materials, but his works did not gain the recognition he hoped for during his lifetime. It was only decades after his death that his pioneering contributions to photography and historical documentation were rediscovered and appreciated.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Orientalism
Orientalism refers to the Western fascination with and depiction of the cultures and peoples of the Eastern world, often through an exoticized or romanticized lens. The video script centers around the work of Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey, a French scholar and artist who embarked on a grand tour of the Orient in 1842 to document its architectural wonders and local life through his pioneering use of photography. His extensive collection of daguerreotypes is considered one of the earliest and most comprehensive visual records of the Eastern Mediterranean region from that era, capturing a particular Western perspective on the 'Orient.'
💡Daguerreotype
The daguerreotype was an early photographic process, introduced to the public in 1839, that Girault de Prangey utilized during his journey. Described as a 'brand new tool' in the script, the daguerreotype allowed him to capture remarkably detailed and accurate images, which he intended to use as references for his drawings and publications. The script notes that he brought over 100 pounds of photographic equipment, plates, and chemicals, highlighting the cumbersome yet groundbreaking nature of this technology at the time. His utilization of the daguerreotype process was a significant aspect of his documentation efforts.
💡Islamic Architecture
Islamic architecture was one of Girault de Prangey's primary interests and a driving force behind his grand tour. The script mentions his passion for this architectural style, which he had previously encountered during an earlier trip to North Africa and Spain. Cities like Cairo, with its 'magnificent architecture' and Mamluk-era mosques and minarets, were thoroughly documented through his photographs. The script also highlights his visits to sites such as the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, and the Temple complex at Baalbek, showcasing his meticulous study of Islamic architectural masterpieces across the region.
💡Cultural Documentation
Beyond architectural marvels, Girault de Prangey's photographs serve as invaluable cultural documentation of the Eastern Mediterranean region in the 19th century. The script notes that his subjects ranged from 'streetscapes and architectural details to nature, landscapes and the portraits of local people.' These photographs capture aspects of daily life, traditional attire, professions, and urban environments that have since been permanently altered or lost to time. By turning his lens towards the ordinary, Girault de Prangey preserved a visual record of the cultures he encountered, providing a rare glimpse into the past.
💡Artistic Expression
Despite the technical nature of early photography, the script emphasizes Girault de Prangey's artistic sensibilities in composing his images. It notes that 'he arranged his pictures as to produce a sense of drama or a mystery,' setting him apart from contemporaries who were primarily technicians or inventors. His background as an artist and draughtsman likely influenced his approach, as he selectively framed and captured scenes with an artistic eye. The script suggests that while his photographs served a documentary purpose, they also reflected his creative vision and artistic expression.
💡Archaeological Preservation
The script underscores the significance of Girault de Prangey's work in preserving visual records of archaeological sites and ancient monuments that have since been altered or lost. For example, his photographs of the Acropolis in Athens captured structures like the medieval Frankish Tower and a Byzantine church that were later demolished. Similarly, his extensive documentation of the ruins at Baalbek in Lebanon predated major excavations by over 50 years. These photographs serve as invaluable references for the study and preservation of cultural heritage, providing a glimpse into the state of these sites before subsequent changes and interventions.
💡Grand Tour
The 'grand tour' was a tradition among wealthy Europeans, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, involving extended travels to culturally significant destinations for educational and personal enrichment purposes. Girault de Prangey's journey, spanning from Italy to Greece, Egypt, Turkey, and the Levant, is described in the script as a 'grand tour of the Orient.' This concept reflects the privileged position he held as a wealthy scholar and artist, allowing him to embark on such an extensive and ambitious voyage to explore and document the Eastern Mediterranean region.
💡Rediscovery
Despite the groundbreaking nature of Girault de Prangey's photographic work, the script highlights how his remarkable collection of daguerreotypes fell into obscurity for nearly a century. It describes how the photographs were forgotten, packed away in crates in an attic after his death, and eventually rediscovered by chance in the 1920s. The script underscores the significance of this rediscovery, as Girault de Prangey's work has now been recognized as 'one of the great photographers of the 19th century,' providing an unparalleled visual record of a region and era that had been largely unseen until recently.
💡Visual Legacy
Throughout the script, emphasis is placed on the visual legacy left by Girault de Prangey's photographic endeavors. His collection of over a thousand daguerreotype plates, captured across multiple countries, is described as a 'historical treasure, almost unmatched for its time in terms of quality and scope.' The script further characterizes these images as 'precious and unquestionably faithful traces that cannot be diminished by time or distance.' This language underscores the enduring value of Girault de Prangey's work, which has become an invaluable resource for understanding and reimagining the world of the Eastern Mediterranean nearly 200 years ago.
💡Cross-Cultural Exchange
While Girault de Prangey's photographs reflect a Western perspective on the 'Orient,' the script also touches upon elements of cross-cultural exchange and collaboration that enabled his work. It mentions his reliance on a network of French diplomats and scholars in Constantinople to secure his journey through Anatolia. Additionally, the script notes that during his time in Rome, the director of the French Academy shared updates about Girault de Prangey's photographic endeavors with a mutual friend. These instances highlight the interconnectedness of scholarly and artistic communities across borders, facilitating Girault de Prangey's ambitious documentation project.
Highlights

Joseph Girault de Prangey, a wealthy French scholar and artist, embarked on a grand tour of the Orient in 1842, bringing with him the newly invented camera to document the sites he visited.

Girault de Prangey captured over a thousand photographs during his journey, ranging from streetscapes, architectural details, landscapes, and portraits of local people.

Many of the places Girault de Prangey photographed have since been permanently altered, making his photographs the earliest surviving visual records of these countries, except for Italy.

Girault de Prangey's photographs were largely forgotten until the past 20 years, when they were rediscovered as a historical treasure, unmatched in quality and scope for their time.

Girault de Prangey was born into a wealthy family in Langres, France, in 1804, the same year Napoleon became emperor.

Before his grand tour of the East, Girault de Prangey had already embarked on a multi-year journey through Italy, North Africa, Spain, and Switzerland, where he was first exposed to Islamic architecture.

Girault de Prangey published lithographs based on his drawings from his first journey, depicting the monuments of Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Sicily, and the Maghrib.

For his grand tour of the East, Girault de Prangey decided to use photography, a new technology at the time, to document the sites he visited more efficiently and in greater detail.

Girault de Prangey's journey began in Italy, where he photographed sites in Rome, including the Roman Forum, the Vatican, and everyday street scenes.

In Greece, Girault de Prangey captured some of the earliest surviving photographs of the Acropolis and other ancient monuments in Athens.

In Egypt, Girault de Prangey extensively documented the medieval Islamic architecture of Cairo, including the mosques of Amr ibn al-As and Ibn Tulun.

Girault de Prangey also photographed local people in Cairo, including a camel driver and a woman named Ayusha, who modeled for him in several evocative portraits.

In Istanbul, Girault de Prangey captured panoramic views of the city, as well as local mosques and fishing grounds along the Bosphorus.

In the Levant, Girault de Prangey photographed sites in Beirut, Jerusalem, Tripoli, Baalbek, Damascus, and Aleppo, capturing the region's ancient and Islamic architecture.

Despite his extensive work, Girault de Prangey's photographic publications were not a public success during his lifetime, leading him to abandon the project and leave his photographs forgotten until their rediscovery in the late 20th century.

Transcripts

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