Figure 1.-- This was one of the Zangaki's Arab portraits. It was probably taken in the 1860-80s to be sold in Europe. As with many of their Arab portrairs, the women are veiled. We believe that this was most common among the fellahin and in rural areas than the well-to-do Cairo population. The boy at left is probably a slavce boy or at least would have been a slsave before the arrival of the British.

We also see Zangaki photographs with images with Arab themes. Here the interest was different. The Arab lands included the Holy Lands. Religious people wereevery interested in scenes of the Holy Land. Wuith the Arabs there was also an interest in the exotic. That brought forward a whole genre of artistic endevor--orientalism. It was the exotic mixed with the sensatuiinal--harems and veiled women. The Zangakis capitalized on this in their Arab photographs. Many of the women in the Zangakis photoigraphs are veiled. These were not creations. The veils depicted actually existed. We are not sure, however, just how common they actually were.

Created: 6:50 AM 4/20/2018
Last updated: 6:50 AM 4/20/2018