THE YEAR OF WILFRED THESIGER 

Born in 1910 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sir Wilfred Thesiger was one of the most renowned explorers of the 20th century. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he developed a deep fascination with the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the UAE. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Thesiger crossed the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter), documenting his journeys through photography and writing.

Thesiger's stunning journey through the UAE took him deep into the heart of the desert, where he lived with the Bedouins and experienced their traditions firsthand. His photography and writing captured the beauty and resilience of the people and landscapes in a time of significant change.

His photographic work, spanning over 5,000 images, captured the people, landscapes, and traditions of Arabia, offering a rare glimpse into a vanishing world. His portraits of Bedouins and desert scenes…