Cav. Dr. Francis Amin, professor of Egyptology in Luxor University

Antonio Beato a Venetian Photographer in Luxor

The vivid light of Egypt has always attracted many photographers, especially during the 19th century when rapidly evolving photographic techniques required not only mastery and technical ability but also and above all light and subjects worthy of being photographed. Among these photographers, Antonio Beato plays a leading role and importance. Born in Venice or, perhaps, in Corfu after 1832, Antonio Beato traveled around the world before arriving in Egypt towards the end of 1859. After a couple of years spent in Cairo he settled in Luxor where he became the only resident photographer and where he worked for more than 40 years and died around 1906. The author, who has been studying the life of Beato for many years and owns many his original photo albums, both albumin and collodion plates, will show many of his unpublished works. Furthermore, he will discuss the great value that the Beato’s work has in order to have a perfect knowledge of the state of the art of many monuments of ancient Egypt at the time of their discovery and how, today, it is absolutely impossible to ignore it in order to carry out a correct recovery. The discussed issues  represent a very interesting case of how preserving documents means not only preserving an important historical memory but also allowing a perfect and culturally correct fruition of the Egyptian archaeological heritage.