Gezicht op Nablus, gezien vanaf de Gerizim 1898

This photograph, "Gezicht op Nablus, gezien vanaf de Gerizim" or "View of Nablus, seen from Mount Gerizim," was taken by Johannes Lodewijk Heldring. Heldring’s photograph freezes a moment in time, capturing a landscape laden with complex social, political, and religious histories. Situated high on Mount Gerizim, we look down upon Nablus, a city in Palestine. The composition emphasizes a particular perspective, that of an outsider looking in, observing the landscape. Consider the act of looking itself, and who is afforded the privilege to look and document. In Heldring’s era, photography played a crucial role in shaping Western perceptions of the Middle East. What stories does this image tell, and whose stories might be missing? This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the power dynamics inherent in representation, prompting us to reflect on whose perspectives are privileged and whose are marginalized in the narratives we construct about the world.