The Acropolis
Francis Frith
British, 1822–1898
1839-98
A 19th‑century albumen silver print by Francis Frith that records the Parthenon on the Acropolis, made to bring the monumental remains of classical Greece to Victorian viewers.
The battered Doric columns rise as a lone, monumental silhouette against a pale sky while the foreground is crowded with a textured scatter of broken stones and carved fragments, emphasizing age and decay.
As an example of early travel and documentary photography, this picture helped make ancient sites widely visible to Europe, shaping modern ideas of classical heritage, archaeology, and tourism.
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
6 × 8 1/8" (15.2 × 20.6 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Purchase
Accession
187.1972
Palette
Exhibitions
