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 "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 "Turkish Woman in City Attire by Félix Bonfils")
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![Parthenon, taken from the Propylaea - Athens. [From North - west] by Félix Bonfils](/kunstwerke/300px/Flix_Bonfils_-_Parthenon_pris_des_propylees_-_Athenes_From_North_-_west_-_(MeisterDrucke-1588663).jpg "Parthenon, taken from the Propylaea - Athens. [From North - west] by Félix Bonfils")
![Parthenon, taken from the Propylaea - Athens. [From North - west] by Félix Bonfils](/kunstwerke/400w/Flix_Bonfils_-_Parthenon_pris_des_propylees_-_Athenes_From_North_-_west_-_(MeisterDrucke-1588663).jpg)
.jpg "The Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Known as the Alabaster Mosque, in Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Egyptian boat on the Nile, in Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Heliopolis Obelisk, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Temple of Andour by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Damas. Interior of House. English Consul Syria by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Entrance to the Temple of Jupiter or the Temple of the Sun, in the archeological zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, ancient Syrian city, now Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Trajan")
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.jpg "The Pnyx Mountain or the Mountain of the Thirty Tyrants, Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Alexandria, Egypt: the Obelisk of Cleopatra, with four men posing for the photograph by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic View of Betania by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Temple of Abu Simbel, Nubia, Egypt, 1878 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Album Damas et Baalbek: Young Syrian woman in traditional clothes by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Album \"Damas et Baalbek\": Pair of Syrian musicians playing a stringed instrument 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 "Panoramic View of Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Mosque ruin, Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Ruins of the columns of the Temple of Jupiter, in the archeological zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, ancient Syrian city, now Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic view of Damascus, Syria, from Salahie 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 "Cairo, Palm Trees by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Relief of a niche, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Dead Sea and the Mountains of Judea, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Golden Gate Exterior: Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Bridges of the River of the Dog, ca. 1880 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Detail of the So-Called")
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.jpg "Ruins of a Frieze from the Temple of Jupiter or Temple of the Sun, in the Archeological Zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, Ancient Syrian City, Now Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Detail of the entrance to a temple, in the archeological zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, ancient Syrian city, now Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Desert Area on the Outskirts of Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Bab el-Azab Gate of the Citadel with the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in the Background, Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Palestine: The Jordan by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Interior, Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Tower of the Winds, Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Olympeion, or Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Acropolis, Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the City of Larnaca, in Cyprus by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Propylaea of the Temple of Jupiter or the Temple of the Sun, in the Archaeological Zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, Ancient Syrian City, Now Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the Mar Saba Convent, in Israel by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Jaffa, General View Taken from the Sea - Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "General View of Bethany by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "A Rocky Area with Children and Grazing Animals, Egypt 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 "The Dead Sea and the Mountains of Judea, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Basilica of St. John, transformed into a mosque in 1330, at Ephesus, Turkey by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Sphinx at Giza, c.1870s-80s by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Cairo, Alley of Shoubra by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic View of the Valley of the Cedron or Josafat, on the Outskirts of Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Fountain of Ablution in the Mosque of the Sultan Hassan, Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Man on the Qubba of Douris, Near Baalbek by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Columns of the Hypostyle Hall of the Great Temple of Amon-Ra in Karnak, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Temple of Theseus on the Acropolis of Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Ruins of the Temple of Jupiter or the Sun, in the Archeological Zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, Ancient Syrian City, Now Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Cataracts of the Nile, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Seats in the Theater of Dionysus, Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Women of Siloam, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Sultan Barquq Mosque, Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the Citadel with numerous ancient monuments and finds, in Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Door of the Mosque of the Sultan Hassan, in Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the dome of the Rock, in the Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The minbad, antique wooden chair, housed in the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Men on camels while crossing an Egyptian desert area flooded by the Nile, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Jaffa, General View Taken from the Sea by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Colossi of Memnon, Thebes, Nubia, Egypt, 1878 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "The Temple of the Sun at Baalbec, ca. 1870 by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic view of Bethlehem, Israel by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Beirut. View from the American College by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Entrance to the tomb of the Judeans, in Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Yard for construction materials, windmills are in the background, in Alexandria, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Karnak. Inclined Column in the Hypostyle Hall, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic view of the Valley of Cedron or Josafat, with the Tomb of Absalom, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. A man is looking at the view from the street by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Alexandria, Egypt: An Arab Village on the Banks of the Nile by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Remains of the Luxor Temple (Égypte) by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Interior of the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Album \" Damas et Baalbek \": Mosque of Damascus by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Women of Siloé, Palestine by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Columns and Arches in the Archaeological Zone of Heliopolis or Baalbek, Lebanon 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 "The Propylaea of the Acropolis in Athens by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic view of Nazareth, Israel by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "A Man in Traditional Dress with His Horse, in Front of a Lake in Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Palestine - Kolonick, Valley of the Terebinth by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Colonnade and Remains of the Temple in Palmyra, Syria by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "XII and XIII Stations, the Calvary, Greek Altar by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of a Section of the City Walls and the House of Saint Anne, in Jerusalem by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic View of Zahleh, Syria by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Panoramic view of Beirut, Lebanon by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Album Damas et Baalbek: Syrian Barber by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Part of the Great Colonnade, Qala")
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.jpg "Remains of Colonnade of the Temple of the Sun in Palmyra, Syria 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 "Colonnade, Hypostyle Hall, Egypt by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Water Carrier in Cairo by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the colonnade in the Omayyade Great Mosque, Damascus, Syria by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "A man drinking from a corner fountain, on a street in Damascus, Syria by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "Portrait of Two Arab Musicians in Humble Ethnic Dress by Félix Bonfils")
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.jpg "View of the garden of Gethsemane or the Olive Orchard, where Christ passed the last days of his life 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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