A Palestinian family celebrating Christmas 1936

Karimeh Abbud made this black and white photograph of a Palestinian family celebrating Christmas. It’s about capturing a moment in time. The composition feels very deliberate, and you can see Abbud carefully arranging the group in front of a decorated Christmas tree. It’s a bit like setting up a stage. There’s a wonderful tension between the formality of the staged photograph and the spontaneity of the moment. Look at the textures in the image – the way the light plays off the decorations on the tree and the details of the architecture in the background. Abbud uses light and shadow to create depth and drama. It’s especially visible in the way the window light falls across faces in the crowd. This photograph reminds me a bit of the work of some early modernist photographers. There is a similar attention to form and composition, but also a real sense of humanity and connection to the subject. Ultimately, this photograph is a powerful statement about the shared experience of family and community, transcending cultural boundaries.