Grieks-orthodox katholikon in de Heilig Grafkerk, Jeruzalem c. 1867 - 1877

Félix Bonfils made this albumen print of the Greek Orthodox Katholikon in Jerusalem, likely sometime in the 1870s. It's a fascinating glimpse into a site of immense religious and historical significance. The photograph allows us to consider the politics of imagery in the late 19th century, and Bonfils, a Frenchman working in Beirut, was part of a wave of photographers who catered to European and American desires for images of the Holy Land. These images weren’t neutral; they often reinforced orientalist views and colonial interests. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which houses the Katholikon, is itself a site of contestation between different Christian denominations. Bonfils' photograph, in its composition and perspective, might subtly favor one viewpoint over others, reflecting the complex power dynamics at play in Jerusalem at the time. To truly understand this photograph, we need to delve into the history of photography in the Middle East, the politics of religious sites, and the social context of European travelers in the 19th century.