170. Alexandrie. Mos.[quée] El Guénaoui

This is another from the series of small pictures Girault de Prangey made in Alexandria. Here he focuses on the three-dimensional massing of a wall, minaret and dome of the mosque, the various elements creating a sequence of geometric steps leading toward the tower. Sun reflects off the light stonework and glances off the crenellations at the top of the wall, drawing the eye to the slender palms swaying in the distance. The inclusion of the palms makes a real difference to the image, out of proportion to their tiny size. The darkening of the edges is most typical of the photographer's smallest plates, which are often also the clearest and easiest to view. Caused by a lack of coverage of the lens, the effect is of a soft vignetting of the image as it dissolves into the darkness at the edges of the plate.