The Pool of Hezekiah, from the Tower of Hippicus, Jerusalum 1857

Editor: This is Francis Frith’s "The Pool of Hezekiah, from the Tower of Hippicus, Jerusalem," a print from 1857. I’m struck by the stillness of the pool juxtaposed with the densely packed city beyond. What layers of meaning do you find within this photograph? Curator: This image captures a Jerusalem steeped in historical and spiritual weight. The Pool of Hezekiah itself becomes a powerful symbol. Water, throughout many cultures, represents purification, renewal, and life. Notice how Frith positions it: not just as a geographical feature but as a mirror reflecting both the city and, perhaps, the viewer's own sense of history. Editor: So the pool is a kind of portal, then, connecting past and present? Curator: Precisely. Think of Jerusalem as a city layered with narratives - religious, political, personal. Frith, intentionally or not, highlights that density through the sharp details of the buildings pressing in around the pool. This is more than just a cityscape. The image subtly poses the question: how do we reconcile the weight of history with the present moment? Does the pool offer respite, or does it simply amplify the echoes of the past? What do you make of the seemingly ever-present tower? Editor: It looms. Watching over the city, maybe guarding secrets, adding to this idea of an enduring legacy, with a hint of something imposing and maybe inevitable? Curator: Indeed. And within that looming presence, consider its historical ties. The Tower of Hippicus speaks to military strategy, to power and control. Thus, water, this symbolic ‘pool of life’ becomes complicated by conflict and defense. Photography such as this one in 1857 aimed to show the "real" Holy Land. It's interesting how it unintentionally shows emotional geography through symbolic architecture. Editor: I hadn't considered that interplay between the serenity and the fortification. This image holds so much more than initially meets the eye. Thank you. Curator: And thank you for opening yourself up to exploring it. These connections are often what give artwork continued value.