Tombe van de Maagd Maria te Jeruzalem 1854 - 1856

Auguste Salzmann captured the Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem using a calotype, an early photographic process, producing this image in the mid-19th century. The tomb's entrance is marked by a rounded arch, a motif that carries echoes from Roman triumphal arches to Christian basilicas. This arch, a symbol of triumph and transition, suggests a passage, both physical and spiritual. We see this echoed in the catacombs of Rome and later, in the elaborate entrances to Renaissance churches. The archway is not merely architectural but acts as a profound cultural symbol marking the threshold between the earthly and the divine. The image is stark, and the stone worn. This invites contemplation on the cyclical nature of faith, destruction, and rebirth. The symbol of the arch continually resurfaces, evolving in form and function yet retaining its primal connection to human emotions, and the subconscious desire to transcend.