Jérusalem, Enceinte du Temple, Piscine probatique, 1 1854 - 1859

This is Auguste Salzmann’s photograph, "Jerusalem, Enceinte du Temple, Piscine probatique, 1." Salzmann, a French archeologist, made the photograph using the salted paper process. In the mid-nineteenth century, photography was increasingly deployed as a tool for colonial and archeological documentation. Here, we see Jerusalem’s Temple Mount and the Pool of Bethesda, sites of immense religious and historical importance. Salzmann’s choice of subject reflects the interest of European powers in the Holy Land and the desire to capture its image through the relatively new medium of photography. Salzmann's work, while seemingly objective, was influenced by his own cultural and religious background. The photograph offers a glimpse into the complex intersection of religion, politics, and identity in the context of nineteenth-century Europe and the Middle East. This photograph, therefore, is not just a historical record, but also a reflection of the photographer's position within a broader cultural and political landscape.