Onbekende mannen voor de Apotra fontein bij Jericho before 1878

This albumen print, "Onbekende mannen voor de Apotra fontein bij Jericho," was created by Félix Bonfils, a French photographer, in the late 19th century. Bonfils was part of a wave of European photographers who ventured to the Middle East, capturing landscapes and people through a colonial lens. This photograph, while seemingly a straightforward depiction of men at a fountain, is laden with the power dynamics of its time. Who were these men? And how were they viewed by Bonfils? It invites us to reflect on how photography can both reveal and conceal, often reinforcing existing cultural narratives. The image serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in cross-cultural representation and the biases that can shape our understanding of the other. It encourages us to consider whose stories are told, whose are left out, and how these choices impact our perceptions of history.