The gifted artist and photographer who created these marvelous photographs was Rudolf Franz Lehnert, born 1878 in Saxony, Germany. In 1903 he travelled to Tunisia and was instantly attracted by the irresistible charm of North Africa. Afterwards, he took many photographs on glass plates in both Tunisia and Egypt. Today, the original glass plates have been restored, and photographs have been reproduced from these originals negatives. This picture is of the Mahammad Ali Mosque. Designed by the Greek architect Yussuf Bushnaq, the Mohammad Ali (Alabaster) Mosque in the Citadel was begun in 1830 (finished in 1857) in the Ottoman style by Mohammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Egypt, and founder of the country's last dynasty of Khedives and Kings. The mosque is the Tomb of Mohammad Ali and is also known as the Alabaster Mosque because of the extensive use of this fine material from Beni Suef.