Magnificent images of Egypt by Zangaki brothers, 1870-1890

 

The Zangaki brothers were two Greek photographers, active between the 1870s–1890s, who worked in Egypt, producing prints for the tourism trade. He produced some of the best images of late Victorian Egypt, yet little is known about them. They were probably Greek Cypriots, although it has been suggested that they may have come from Crete.

Nothing is known about him before his photographs were published in Egypt in the late 1870s, and even the names of the brother himself are unknown.

It has been suggested that his initials were "C" and "G", and in fact photographic postcards bearing "Si Zangaki" were located in the early 20th century. Alkis X on "Zangaki Brothers" (Opticon, 1995). According to Xanthakis, the two brothers were from Milos (a Greek island) and their names were Georgios and Constantinos.

Although his photographs were identified only as "Zangaki", the letter "Z" is often mistaken for a stylized "L" in many books, resulting in his work being incorrectly referred to as "Langaki". goes.

Indeed, until relatively recently, a photographer by the name of "A Zangaki" was believed to be there, until a signboard titled "Adelfoi Zangaki" was discovered, confirming that the images were the work of the brothers.

While their Greek, Cypriot or Cretan, roots are attested, they toured the length of the Nile with horse-drawn darkrooms, giving rise to the "Zangaki Brothers" legend, and to further confuse matters, Most of his images are titled ( in the negative) in French.

Among the many fine images are photographs taken after the bombing of Alexandria in 1882 and some eloquent comments on the popularity of the Grand Tour of Egypt in the 1880s.

Images included scenes of pyramids, for example, Cheops or the Sphinx and cities, e.g., Suez or Alexandria, as well as Egyptians going about their daily lives, e.g., a teacher and disciple, men of the Nile. , or women at home.