Accession Number
1991/1.107

Title
Temple of Horus at Edfu

Artist(s)
Antonio Beato

Artist Nationality
British (modern)

Object Creation Date
circa 1860-1870

Medium & Support
albumen print on paper

Dimensions
8 1/16 in x 10 3/8 in (20.48 cm x 26.35 cm);16 in x 20 in (40.64 cm x 50.8 cm);11 7/16 in x 15 in (29.05 cm x 38.1 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of W. Howard and Margaret Bond

Subject matter
As with many of Beato's photographs of Egyptian archaeological sites, this image depicts the Temple at Edfu from a slight oblique angle, which dramatizes the scale and significance of the building within the larger complex visible behind and below it. The deceptively simple viewpoint serves both aesthetic and informational functions: it simultaneously conveys the appearance and three-dimensionality of the structure, while taking advantage of raking light to render visible the carved motifs and inscriptions on the surface of the building. These particularly well-preserved carvings refer to the god Horus to whom the temple is dedicated. 

Physical Description
Egyptian temple decorated with carved motifs seen from a slight oblique angle.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

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
Egypt
Ruins
Temple of Horus
ancient sites
archaeological parks
architecture (object genre)
mythology
pylons
relief
religious buildings
temples (institutions)
tower
travel photography