Artwork

View of the Parthenon

View of the Parthenon, by Adolphe Braun & Co., 1884
View of the Parthenon, by Adolphe Braun & Co., 1884

View of the Parthenon is a photography by the Impressionist artist Adolphe Braun & Co.. It dates from 1884 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Back then, photos were made with pigmented gelatin, a process that kept colors from fading.

You see the Parthenon, the old Greek temple, standing on a hill in bright sunlight.

This isn’t a painting—it’s a photograph from the 1880s. Back then, photos were made with pigmented gelatin, a process that kept colors from fading. Adolphe Braun sold these images of famous places across Europe and America. The Parthenon was a popular subject, so he took many shots of it.

To see more early photos of landmarks, look up Adolphe Braun & Co. (French, 1845–1894).

Overview

View of the Parthenon is a photograph from the 1880s depicting the ancient Greek temple on the Acropolis hill.

Technique & Style

The image is a carbon print, a process using pigmented gelatin that provides greater resistance to fading compared to silver-based prints.

History & Provenance

The photograph was produced by Adolphe Braun, who marketed his images of European landmarks, including multiple views of the Acropolis, across Europe and North America.

Subject & Meaning

The photograph captures the Parthenon standing on a hill in bright sunlight, presenting a straightforward representation of the ancient monument.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.