Gezicht op Jeruzalem vanaf de Olijfberg, op de voorgrond twee tenten 1857 - 1858

This albumen print of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives was made by Francis Frith in the mid-19th century. Frith was one of the first British photographers to travel to the Middle East. His images catered to a Victorian public fascinated by biblical lands and archaeological discoveries. But more than that, the photograph speaks to the British Empire's growing interests in the region, and the emerging field of Orientalism which exoticized non-Western cultures. Note the tents in the foreground, a sign of temporary encampment and foreign presence. Jerusalem itself appears distant and somewhat indistinct, hinting at a cultural and perhaps political remove. Frith's work can be understood as contributing to a specific Western gaze on the East, one that perpetuated notions of otherness. By looking at photographs like this, and studying the historical context in which they were made, we can start to appreciate how images can be powerful cultural and political tools.