Egypt
(Felix Bonfils)
French photographer Félix Bonfils worked largely in the Levant. First voyaging to the Eastern Mediterranean in 1860, he later moved permanently to the region with his wife and young son, Adrien, after Adrien developed respiratory problems. A dry climate was regarded as beneficial to Adrien’s condition.
In 1867, Bonfils opened a studio – Maison Bonfils – in Beirut, capturing and selling images of local scenes and figures, such as this one of a street vendor, largely to tourists. The business thrived and branches of Maison Bonfils were established in France, Alexandria and Cairo.
Bonfils’ uncle was Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, credited as the inventor of photography, and whose ‘View from the Window’ at Le Gras is the oldest known surviving camera photograph.
‘Modern perfumers find means of preparing the perfumes and spices found inside the bodies of mummies to be exceedingly attractive to ladies.’
The Ohio Democrat, August 13, 1887
