Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey

daguerreotype, titled and numbered '258' in ink on a paper label affixed to the reverse, circa 1843-44

Collection of the photographer

By descent to the family

Christie's London, Important Daguerreotypes by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey from the Archive of the Artist, Part II, 18 May 2004, Sale 6978, Lot 39

This impressive, early outdoor daguerreotype presents a nearly three-dimensional view of an interior at the Temple of Amun at Karnak, Thebes. The massive stone columns are rendered with great clarity and individual carved hieroglyphics are visible. The plate itself is in remarkably very good condition. There is a fine patina of warm-toned tarnish in the corners of the plate. There are 3 small, linear scratches in the upper right corner and 2 small crescent-shaped impressions near the middle of the right edge. Scuffs or possibly partial fingerprints are visible along the upper edge of the plate. Faint, fine surface scratches and pin-point-sized translucent and brown speckling are visible overall when the plate is examined very closely at varying angles in raking light. The plate is sealed with brown paper tape between two sheets of glass. There is a Christie's Lot sticker on the rear glass.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The daguerreotype offered here comes originally from one the greatest photographic hoards of the 19^th century, the hundreds, if not thousands, of daguerreotypes made by the gentleman artist Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey.  Saved by his neighbor, the Comte de Simony, some years after the photographer’s death, the daguerreotypes have been acquired over the decades by collectors and institutions, including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.   In recent years, a series of three historic auctions, two in London and one in New York, have brought the collection to a wider public and inspired new Girault de Prangey scholarship.

An historian of Islamic architecture, Girault de Prangey made daguerreotypes throughout his far-reaching travels: from Europe, to the Mediterranean, to the Near East and Asia Minor, including Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.  His photographs of the Near East, in particular, are thought to be the earliest surviving photographs of these regions. 

The present daguerreotype is believed to show the interior of a partially-excavated temple within the larger Temple of Amun at Karnak, Thebes.   This Great Temple of Amun, covering over 50,000 square feet, was one of the most expansive religious complexes ever built and was a popular stop for visitors touring Egypt.  A number of photographers would make pictures at Karnak in the years following Girault de Prangey, among them Henri Béchard, Félix Teynard, and the Vicomte de Banville.