Albumin print, panorama, Port Said, Suez Canal, Félix Bonfils, late 19th century

This historical photograph shows a rare and documentarily highly interesting panoramic view of the Suez Canal and the port city of Port Said in Egypt, 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. The photograph documents the extremely early urban development of Port Said shortly after the opening of the canal in 1869, with the absence of permanent large buildings and the still sparse maritime infrastructure showcasing the almost provisional character of the settlement in the desert sand.

Bonfils relocated to the Levant in the 1860s and founded one of the most productive photography studios in the Middle East in Beirut, which captured the landscapes, ancient monuments, and rapid transformation of Egypt for an international audience in masterly image compositions. This print was produced during the early phase of Suez Canal documentation between 1870 and 1882. From a historical perspective, these original albumin photos are of invaluable worth as they preserve the visual heritage of modern shipping history and the nucleus of one of the world's most important artificial waterways in its original state.

The historical collector's item is available as a loose sheet, features the original dimensions of 29 x 22 cm, shows small and light creases as well as small damage at the edges and corners, and has unevenly cut margins. It is in good age-appropriate condition with slight toning, signs of wear corresponding to age, and shows the original handwritten note "14 Panorama de Port - Said" within the photo negative at the bottom margin.