Gezicht op de ruïnes van voormalig Silo (nu vermoedelijk Khirbet Seilun) 1898

This sepia photograph captures the ruins of what was once a silo, now believed to be Khirbet Seilun, and was taken by Johannes Lodewijk Heldring. Heldring used photography, a relatively new medium at the time, to document the region. The choice of photography itself speaks to a shift in how we perceive and record the world. Unlike painting or drawing, photography offered a seemingly objective representation of reality. The materiality of the photograph – the paper, the developing chemicals, the specific lens used – all contribute to the final image. The sepia tone lends a sense of nostalgia, evoking a bygone era. Consider the labor involved in creating this image. From the mining of materials for the camera and chemicals, to the physical act of traveling to this location and capturing the scene, Heldring’s photograph is a testament to the intersection of technology, exploration, and artistic vision. It challenges us to consider photography not just as a window onto the world, but as a crafted object with its own unique history and materiality.