Gezicht op Siloam, nabij Jeruzalem c. 1867 - 1877

Félix Bonfils made this photograph of Siloam, near Jerusalem, sometime in the second half of the 19th century. Bonfils was one of many European photographers who traveled to the Middle East at this time, producing images that catered to Western audiences eager for visual representations of biblical lands. The image here emphasizes the timelessness and supposed simplicity of life in the region, depicting a landscape seemingly untouched by modernity. This aesthetic, however, was carefully constructed. Consider the photographer's role in shaping perceptions of the East, often reinforcing colonial narratives. The institutional history of museums also plays a part, as these photographs were collected and displayed, further solidifying certain cultural biases. To fully understand this image, one might research the history of photography in the Middle East, the role of tourism, and the collecting practices of institutions like the Rijksmuseum.