Albumen Photographic Print: Veiled Turkish Woman (Egypt, Circa 1880)
An original albumen photographic print attributed to Pascal Sébah, circa 1880, of a veiled Turkish woman. The photo is unsigned but the the attribution comes from the existence of a similar signed “P. Sébah” photograph of the same veiled Turkish woman as in this photo wearing the same dress, jewelry, and veil.
Pascal Sébah (1823-1886) was one of the important professional photographers of his time in the Ottoman Empire, and served the demand for souvenirs to the increasing tourist trade that developed in Egypt in the second half of the 19th century. Sébah established a studio in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1857, opening a branch in Cairo in 1873. His son, Jean Pascal Sébah (1872-1947), took over the studio sometime after his father’s death in 1886. The father signed his prints P. Sébah and the son J. Pascal Sébah. The Cairo studio operated until 1898.
The ascent of the pyramids and a veiled woman were popular images for tourists at the time. Although Sébah's photographs were produced for the tourist trade, they were of high quality, composition, and skill, and are represented in museum collections such as The Brooklyn Museum, among others. A rare print attributed to the noted photographer. Item #1381.
Condition: Very Good, some light scuffing to surfaces and toning to boards, more prominent around edges; a few light spots or foxing to the surface of prints and boards; 1/8" and 1/4" white scratches to the surface of the print (or the negative); mounted on board from the period, with the sepia tones common to albumen prints.
Price: $150.00