Drie onbekende mannen bij de tombes van de rechters before 1878

Félix Bonfils produced this photograph, titled "Three Unknown Men Near the Tombs of the Judges," in the late 19th century. Orient was becoming an increasingly popular destination for Europeans at this time, and Bonfils capitalized on it. This photograph exists as a commercial object. It would have served as a souvenir of the Holy Land and a means of documenting its monuments. In the 19th century, photography was still relatively new. The photograph gained prominence in Western culture through its role in documenting social norms, values, and historical events. Photography, as an institution, has significantly shaped our perceptions of history. To fully grasp the context of such a photograph, a historian would need to examine travel journals, commercial records, and the history of photographic practices. It would also be useful to look at the institutional history of museums and the colonial gaze. Through this, we can fully understand the photograph’s place in society.