Accession Number
1980/1.201

Title
Intérieur de la mosquée Amrou

Artist(s)

Object Creation Date
circa 1890

Medium & Support
albumen print on paper

Dimensions
9 15/16 in x 12 in (25.24 cm x 30.48 cm)

Credit Line
Transfer from the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology

Subject matter
This fascinating view of the interior columns at the Mosque Amrou in Cairo utilizes dramatic perspectival recession to transform the courtyard into a tunnel at the center of the composition. While the original architecture dates to the 9th century, the support beams visible in this photograph impose a geometric and linear pattern on the columns with a strong modern sensibility. The photograph was likely taken for a tourist market, as evidenced by the caption that identifies the site, either by Jean Pascal Sébah or his father Pascal, both photographers based in Turkey.

Physical Description
Photograph of the columns in the interior of a mosque.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Western

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
architraves (entablature)
columns (architectural elements)
cultural tourism
documentary photography
mosques
mosques (institutions)