Dates

• Existence: 1831 - 1885

Biography

Felix Bonfils was born on 8th March 1831. He was a book-binder from Cevennes. He first visited Lebanon with the French Expeditionary Force of 1860. He founded a photographic studio in Beirut in 1867. The studio at Ales opened in circa 1881. The Beirut studio was destroyed by fire in 1905 and new premises were established at Rue Georges Picot. The firm was mentioned in 'Guide Bleu' in 1932. The firm made perhaps the most extensive photographic documentation of Egypt and the Middle East in late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Bonfils' name, negatives and business had been taken over by A. Guiragossian by the end of the First World War. Bonfils died on the 31 August 1885.

Bonfils' wife, Lydie Cabanis Bonfils (21st March 1837-1918), was also active in the field of photography as was his son, Paul-Felix-Adrien Bonfils (8th August 1861- 29 January 1929).

Publications:

Bonfils, P.F. (1872) 'Architecture antique: Egypte, Grece, Asie Mineure'. Paris.

Bonfils, P.F. (1877-78) 'Souvenirs d'Orient', 5 vols.

Bonfils, P.F. (1878), 'Albums photographiques des monuments et des sites les plus celebres de l'Orient'. Paris.

Bonfils, P.F. (c. 1880) 'Souvenir de Jerusalem'. Leipzig.

Bonfils, P.F. (1894) 'Nazareth et ses environs'. St Petersburg.

Bonfils, P.F. (1876) 'Catalogue de vues photographiques de l'Orient'. Alais.

Sources: 'The photographers Bonfils of Beirut and Ales', 'Camera', [?]March 1981.

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records: