Gezicht op de Jordaan vanaf de Westelijke Jordaanoever, Palestina 1859 - 1861

This is Francis Frith's "View of the Jordan from the West Bank, Palestine." Frith made it sometime in the 19th century, using albumen silver print. During the Victorian era, photography was increasingly linked with exploration and documentation, often reinforcing colonial perspectives. Frith's work was no exception. He aimed to capture the Holy Land, framing the area through the lens of biblical narrative and Western expectations. Frith's photographs, including this view of the Jordan River, often excluded the local populations, presenting an image of a land seemingly devoid of its contemporary inhabitants. This absence is powerful, as it subtly erases the presence and history of the people who lived there. Frith's images catered to a European audience, shaping their understanding and reinforcing a Western-centric view. This photograph, serene as it may seem, carries the weight of its historical context, inviting us to consider the power dynamics inherent in visual representation.