Fotoreproductie van het schilderij 'Hebron, Mosque of the Tomb of Abner' door Conway Shipley before 1865

Lock & Whitfield captured this photogravure of Conway Shipley's painting, 'Hebron, Mosque of the Tomb of Abner’. This image invites us to consider how the West has historically perceived and represented the Middle East. Hebron, a city laden with religious and historical significance, becomes a subject viewed through the lens of Western art. The mosque, a sacred space, is framed within a composition that may emphasize its exoticism for a European audience. How does the act of reproducing this painting as a photograph affect its meaning? Does it amplify the sense of distance and otherness? The gaze of the artists transforms a complex, living city into a picturesque scene, raising questions about cultural appropriation and the power dynamics inherent in such representations. Consider what stories are told and, perhaps more importantly, what stories are left untold. This image serves as a reminder of the selective nature of representation and the importance of critically examining the perspectives that shape our understanding of different cultures and histories.