Philippos Margaritis was the first professional photographer in Athens and he had his own studio as of 1855. He often made salt prints and his knowledge of antiquities and history added to his making finely composed prints. The image here is probably the first photograph taken after the earthquake of 1852 and shows some restoration and the copy of the caryatid removed by Lord Elgin at the beginning of the 19th century.
Lit.: Dorothea Ritter. Im Lichte des Helios. Griechenland in fruhen Photographien aus der Sammlung Siegert. Munich 1999, ill. p. 72.
