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Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg Opens Forever in a Moment.19th Century Photographs of Egypt

The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg Presents Forever in a Moment: 19th Century Photographs of Egypt, on view November 19, 2011-April 10, 2012.


Antonio Beato (British, born Italy, 1825-1903), Travelers at the Great Pyramids (about 1870). Albumen print. Gift of Dr. Robert L. and Chitranee Drapkin from The Ludmila Dandrew and Chitranee Drapkin Collection.

This exhibition presents photographs of Egypt created during the nineteenth century, a period of great archaeological exploration and worldwide fascination with the rediscovered ancient culture. Forever in a Moment contains the work of such well-known photographers as Antonio Beato and Félix Bonfils, Europeans who established studios in the region and photographed monumental sites – including Giza, Karnak, and Philae – to satisfy the bourgeoning demand for travel photographs and albums. Also included are images by Pascal Sébah and Armenian photographer G. Lekegian, who provided different perspectives on nineteenth-century Egypt. Images of ancient monuments were most in demand, but these photographers also captured the modern face of Egypt providing patrons near and far a view of life within its growing cities.

Forever in a Moment is comprised of works from The Ludmila Dandrew and Chitranee Drapkin Collection, with select loans from area collections. This is the third in a series of exhibitions celebrating the gifts from The Dandrew-Drapkin Collection. – www.fine-arts.org

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