Albumin print, Plan Du Canal De Suez, combination print, Sarolidi & Comianos, circa 1870

This historical photograph shows a rare cartographic and photographic documentation of the Suez Canal, titled "Plan du Canal de Suez," taken as an original albumin print. The albumin process used was the dominant photochemical technique of that era, in which egg white was used to bind the light-sensitive silver salts to the paper, giving the photographs their characteristic warm sepia tone, a soft glossy surface, and high detail sharpness. This significant document shows the image of a detailed printed map of the canal from Port Said to Suez, including a longitudinal profile as well as inserted portraits of historical key figures such as Ferdinand de Lesseps on the top left, Ismail Kedive d'Egypte on the top right, as well as Fils du Kedive, Mehemet Aly, and Said Pacha in the center. The cartographic representation is framed by a total of 9 topographic views of different sections of the canal. This print was produced by G. Sarolidi and Nn Comianos from Port Said, around the year 1870, directly in the phase of the celebratory commissioning of the strategic waterway.

From a historical perspective, this original combination photo is of outstanding value as it preserves the most important engineering project of the century from that era in an artistic contemporary overview as an authentic visual primary document. The historical collector's item is available as a loose sheet and features the original dimensions of 25,3 x 19,3 cm. Good age-appropriate condition with slight toning and small light creases at the edges and corners.