Gezicht op Jeruzalem vanaf Zion 1854 - 1856

Auguste Salzmann made this photograph of Jerusalem from Mount Zion using the salted paper process, a very early photographic technique. The image presents us with a seemingly objective view of the city. But we must remember that photographs, like paintings, are always made from a particular point of view and in a specific historical context. Salzmann, a French archaeologist, made this image in the mid-1850s. This was a period of intense European interest in the Middle East, driven by imperial ambitions and religious fervor. His photographs were commissioned with the express purpose of finding archaeological evidence to support Biblical narratives. This image therefore reflects both a colonial gaze and the institutional drive to validate religious texts through archaeological discoveries. Understanding the social and institutional context in which it was produced allows us to look beyond the surface appearance of the image and consider the complex politics of representation. Historical documents, travelogues, and institutional records can further illuminate the meaning of such works.