Michel
Écochard compiled a series of albums, some on particular projects or work
themes, others more focused on particular places. Attached to the Service des
antiquités in Syria in 1932, he managed a range of restoration projects of
Islamic monuments in Damascus in the 1930s and 1940s. Included is imagery of the
city and its development through time, and particularly its water systems. The album begins
with a list of monuments restored under Écochard’s management and a list of
other monuments visited or consolidated.
The Damascus
album illustrates work he had undertaken in the city and more generally his
interest in its history and archaeology. For the most part it is composed of
his own photography; occasionally there are images from colleagues and state
authorities, and copies of some postcards. Moreover, it demonstrates his
interest in photography in general and the influence on planning that his
interest in aviation and aerial photography would have. He has given brief
captions to pages where necessary. The album comprises a total of 165 pages.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
