In the creative world of the 19th century, Félix Adrien Bonfils, born on March 8, 1831, blazed his own trail. He was a visionary French photographer and writer who pioneered work in the Middle East. He advanced to become one of the first commercial photographers to depict the Middle East in its immense beauty and complexity on a large scale. Through his pioneering work, Bonfils was able to popularize the use of the newly developed method of color photography in 1880. From his humble beginnings in Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort to his later career as a photographer and bookbinder in Alès, Bonfils left a profound impact. He took part in General d'Hautpoul's expedition to the Levant in 1860, organized by France after the massacre of Christians in the civil war between Christians and Druze in Lebanon and Damascus. His encounter with Claude Félix Abel Niépce de Saint upon his return to France ushered in a new era in his life as he learned the heliogravure printing technique and opened a print shop in Alès.
When he married Marie-Lydie Cabanis in 1857 and his family grew, his horizons expanded as well. After his son Adrien fell ill, Bonfils remembered the healing atmosphere of the green hills around Beirut and sent Adrien there, accompanied by his mother, to recuperate. The family finally moved their center of life to Beirut in 1867, where they opened a photography studio called "Maison Bonfils". This period was a crucial turning point in Bonfils' career and laid the foundation for his impressive work in the Middle East. Maison Bonfils, which changed its name to "F. Bonfils et Cie" in 1878, was a hub of creativity. Thousands of photographs of the Middle East were taken here, from portraits to posed scenes to biblical stories. Félix, his wife Lydie and son Adrien worked together on this ambitious project, photographing in Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Greece and Constantinople. It is difficult to determine the individual contributions of each family member, as few of their works are signed. However, it is believed that Lydie was responsible for some of the studio portraits, particularly of the women.
When Félix died in Alès in 1885, the world of photography was in mourning. But the studio he had created lived on, first under the direction of his son Adrien and then his wife Lydie, until her death in 1918, continuing his mission to keep pace with ever-revolutionary advances in photography. Maison Bonfils was one of the first to use the new technique of photochrome, a photographic color printing technique developed in 1880. By the end of the 19th century, Maison Bonfils remained one of the most prolific studios in the Middle East. Félix Bonfils' extensive work and tireless dedication to photography have left us with a unique view of the beauty and diversity of the Middle East. He invited us to see the cities and landscapes of this region through his eyes, and his works remain coveted collector's items for those who appreciate the exotic and the historic. He captured the world through his photographs and laid the foundation for future photographers with his visionary work. His legacy lives on in the fine art prints of his work that we proudly reproduce and offer. Each art print is a testament to Félix Bonfils' tireless commitment to art and his passion for the beauty of the world.
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.jpg "The courtyard of a Jewish house in Stambouli, Syria, Three domestics are shown near the walls of the building by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Egyptian Cameleers During a Pause in the Desert by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Garden of Olives, Jerusalem, No. 576 from the series \"Views of Palestine\" by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Part of the Great Colonnade, Qala")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1591367).jpg "Great Columns of the Temple of the Sun (Baalbek) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Album Damascus and Baalbek: Young Syrian woman in traditional clothes by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1712817).jpg "Medinet Habu. Hypostyle hall of the great Temple (Egypt) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Entry of the Pilgrims into Bethlehem... Palestine #899 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Saïs Runners in Cairo by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1744929).jpg "Koum-Ombos (Egypt) by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1047189).jpg "A view of the Grand colonnade, Palmyra, c.1875 by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1508287).jpg "The Pyramids of Giza, c.1880 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Hadrian")
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.jpg "Tomb of Zechariah and Saint James - Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1312543).jpg "Damascus. Interior of House. English Consul (Syria) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1739740).jpg "Philae. Colonnade of Isis, taken from the Obelisk (Egypt) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Syria: Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Mount of Quarantine, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Pool of Probata or Bethesda, interior by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Roman Forum by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1734452).jpg "Interior of a House (Damascus) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "... Greece #533 by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1718367).jpg "Thebes. The Ramesseum (Egypt) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Baalbek, the Gate of the Temple of Jupiter before the Pillar by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Jaffa, General View Taken from the Sea, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tomb of St. Jacques de ... #309 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Sphinx by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Egypt: Citadel of Cairo by Félix Bonfils")
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_Thebes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1751109).jpg "General View of the Temple of Ramesses III, Karnak, Thebes by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Mount of Olives, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Temple of Andour by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Karnak. Ruins of the hypostyle hall, interior view, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Detail of the Capitals of the Pronaos at Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Baalbek, Leaning Column by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1712635).jpg "Member on the Platform of the Temple, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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_partie_gauche_(Karnak)_Thebes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1587868).jpg "Ruins of the 3rd Pylon of the Temple (Southeast) Left Part (Karnak) Thebes by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Citadel of Cairo by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Syria: Temple of the Sun at Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the Captivity of Jesus Christ, circa #279 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Baalbek, Gate of the Temple of Jupiter by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Group of Druze Sheikhs: Mount Carmel by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Pyramids and the Sphinx by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tomb of Absalom - Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "St. Anne Church, General View of Jerusalem #255 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Group Portrait on the Stone Blocks of a Pyramid, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tomb of Absalom, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1588809).jpg "Portico of the Temple of Esneh, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tomb of the Kings, inner courtyard, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Temple of Jupiter - Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Fountain inside the Great Mosque - Damascus by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Square Chambers on the Right in the Rectangular Courtyard - Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "3rd Courtyard of the Great Temple of Medinet Habu, or of the Columns. Thebes by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1749957).jpg "Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Edfu (Egypt) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Sakkas Emptying Their Waterskins by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Detail of the So-Called")
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.jpg "Cairo. Avenue of the Pyramids by Félix Bonfils")
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![Columns of the Hypostyle Hall, View from the North. [Karnak, Thebes] by Félix Bonfils](/kunstwerke/300px/Felix_Bonfils_-_Colonnes_de_la_salle_hypostyle_vue_du_nord_Karnak_Thebes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1736928).jpg "Columns of the Hypostyle Hall, View from the North. [Karnak, Thebes] by Félix Bonfils")
![Columns of the Hypostyle Hall, View from the North. [Karnak, Thebes] by Félix Bonfils](/kunstwerke/400w/Felix_Bonfils_-_Colonnes_de_la_salle_hypostyle_vue_du_nord_Karnak_Thebes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1736928).jpg)
.jpg "Valley of Josaphat by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Wall and Golden Gate, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Egyptian Woman with a Donkey by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Group of Three Bedouin Sheikhs by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Syria: Interior of a house in Damascus by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panorama of Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The First Cataract of the Nile, Taken at Philae, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic View of a Populated Area with a Mosque, in Israel by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Bazaar of Jaffa by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Cairo, Tombs of the Caliphs by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tiberias, Panorama The Holy Land No. 363 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Three Pyramids: Cheops, Chefren and Mycerinus, at the Necropolis of Giza, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1744117).jpg "Enfilade of the Great Mosque, South Side, in the Courtyard (Damascus) by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1742008).jpg "Nubia. Temple of Kerdasêh, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Remains of the Luxor Temple (Égypte) by Félix Bonfils")
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![Interior of the First Courtyard of the Temple of Ramesses III at Karnak [Thebes] by Félix Bonfils](/kunstwerke/300px/Felix_Bonfils_-_Interieur_de_la_lere_cour_du_Temple_de_Ramesses_III_a_Karnak_Thebes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1741543).jpg "Interior of the First Courtyard of the Temple of Ramesses III at Karnak [Thebes] by Félix Bonfils")
![Interior of the First Courtyard of the Temple of Ramesses III at Karnak [Thebes] by Félix Bonfils](/kunstwerke/400w/Felix_Bonfils_-_Interieur_de_la_lere_cour_du_Temple_de_Ramesses_III_a_Karnak_Thebes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1741543).jpg)
.jpg "Portrait of a group of Syrian Bedouins in humble ethnic dress by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(Balbek)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1594029).jpg "Gate of the Temple of Jupiter (Falling Stone) - Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Detail of the Obelisks and Courtyard of the Caryatids - Karnak by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tent of Nomadic Bedouins, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Garden of Gethsemane by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Detail of the Capitals of the Pronaos of Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Interior of the Temple of Jupiter - Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-912238).jpg "The Temple of Bel or Baal Shamin, Palmyra by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Nubia. Temple of Abu Simbel, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Greece: The Parthenon in Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Pulpit of Omar or Minbar on the Temple Platform by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Karnak. Temple of Ramesses IV. Triumphal gate by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Interior of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Philae. Hypaethral Temple, Front View, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Interior of the Grotto of the Agony, or Basilica of the Agony, presently called Church of All Nations, in Jerusalem. According to tradition, Jesus spent his last moments here before being arrested by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Mosque of Omar and Court of David by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Damascus, Mosque of the Dervish Tekke, Syria #404 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Courtyard of the Stambouli House, Damascus by Félix Bonfils")
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_Jerusalem_-_(MeisterDrucke-991694).jpg "A Group of Israelites Praying at the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Cairo. Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Fountain of Ablutions, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Pompey")
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.jpg "Egypt: Temple of Abu Simbel, Nubia by Félix Bonfils")
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