Calvarie bij de tiende en elfde kruiswegstatie op de Golgotha in Jeruzalem 1867 - 1885

Félix Bonfils captured this albumen print, titled 'Calvary at the tenth and eleventh Stations of the Cross on Golgotha in Jerusalem,' sometime in the mid-19th century. Bonfils was part of a wave of European photographers who ventured to the Middle East, framing their images through a lens of orientalism. This perspective often exoticized and romanticized the region, reinforcing Western perceptions of the East as timeless and spiritual, while overlooking the complex realities of life there. Here, we see a site of deep religious significance, presented with an almost theatrical stillness. The photograph invites contemplation, yet it also reflects the power dynamics inherent in the act of looking—of framing another culture through a Western gaze. It is a reminder of the intricate ways in which photography can shape and mediate our understanding of the world and its diverse histories.