The excavation of the Sphinx

Trained in Berlin, Ernst Koerner travelled widely throughout northern Europe before making a trip to Egypt in 1873 that would determine the course of the rest of his career. Captivated by the landscapes of the Eastern Mediterranean, Koerner became famous for his beautifully detailed depictions of architecturally important sites, particularly in Turkey and Egypt. This picture captures not only an iconic monument, but a monumental moment in time, as the Sphinx is being excavated. The contemporaneous photograph below shows the Sphinx as it was during the partial excavation in 1887.