Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey

Place: Langres

Born: 1804

Death: 1892

Biography:

Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey

, a French artist, was born in Langres, France in 1804 and died in 1892. He is known for his architectural and landscape photographs of the Middle East and the Mediterranean region. Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey studied architecture and painting in Paris and traveled extensively throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, documenting the monuments and landscapes he encountered with his camera.

Early Life and Career

was a wealthy scholar who studied painting in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts. He learned daguerreotypy, possibly from its inventor, Louis Daguerre, or from Hippolyte Bayard. Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey was keenly interested in the architecture of the Middle East and his artwork always included highly detailed focus upon architecture.

Photographic Work

Between 1841 and 1844, Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey made a grand tour that included Italy and the countries of the eastern Mediterranean, producing more than 900 daguerreotypes of architectural views, landscapes, and portraits of residents he encountered in their cultural settings. After his return to France, he made watercolour and pen-and-ink studies using his photographs and published a small-edition book of lithographs from them.

Legacy

Once the importance of his photography was known, Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey's work was able to command high prices in the art world. In May 2003, Sheikh Saud Al Thani of Qatar purchased a daguerreotype by Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey for a world-record price. On 30 January 2019, the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened "Monumental Journey: The Daguerreotypes of Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey". Approximately 120 photographs that the amateur archaeologist created in Greece, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, and the Levant during a self-financed tour of the region in the early 1840s were presented.

• Important: Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey's photographs are notable for their clarity, detail, and compositional elegance.
• Notable: Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey's work has had a lasting impact on the history of photography.
• Interesting: Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey also produced numerous watercolors and drawings of the sites he visited.

Conclusion

's work is a significant part of the history of photography, and his photographs continue to be studied and appreciated today. Visit Wikioo.org to learn more about Philibert-Joseph Girault De Prangey and his work, including his photographs and paintings. Discover the Wonders of Musée Maurice Denis (France) with Wikioo.org.