Jérusalem, Saint-Sépulcre, Détails des chapiteaux de la porte principale 1854 - 1859

Auguste Salzmann created this salt print, titled "Jerusalem, Saint-Sépulcre, Details of the Capitals of the Main Gate," sometime in the mid-19th century. Salzmann was a French archaeologist and photographer, and his work often intersected with the politics of cultural heritage and identity. Consider the context: this photograph was made during a time of intense European interest in the Middle East, fueled by colonial ambitions and religious fervor. Salzmann, as a European man, occupied a privileged position in relation to the sites he documented. This image, of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, is not simply a neutral record; it reflects a particular gaze, one that seeks to capture and perhaps even possess the sacred spaces of another culture. The photograph also invites us to think about the act of preservation and representation. Who gets to decide which histories are remembered, and how they are presented? This image captures a specific moment, but it also participates in an ongoing dialogue about cultural heritage and the power dynamics inherent in its interpretation.