Griekse kapel in de Heilig Grafkerk te Jeruzalem 1852

This is François Stroobant’s lithograph of a Greek chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Stroobant’s detailed rendering of the chapel interior invites us to consider the complexities of religious and cultural identity in the mid-19th century. During this period, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was a site of intense contestation among various Christian denominations, each vying for control and influence within its sacred space. The lithograph captures a moment of Greek Orthodox presence, subtly highlighting the community's stake in this shared, yet divided, holy ground. Consider the act of representation itself, as Stroobant, a Western European artist, interprets and portrays an Eastern Orthodox space. This raises questions about orientalism and the power dynamics inherent in cross-cultural depictions. How does Stroobant's perspective shape our understanding of the chapel and its worshippers? How does the simple lithographic medium effect the feelings invoked by the image?