Jérusalem, Enceinte du Temple, Piscine probatique, 1

Art Historical Context

Step into the ancient heart of Jerusalem with *Jérusalem, Enceinte du Temple, Pisc probatique, 1* (1854), a salted paper print by French photographer Auguste Salzmann, by the innovative Imprimerie photographique Blanquart-Évrard in Lille. This evocative image captures the rugged ruins of the Temple enclosure and the Probatic Poolbiblical Bethesda, site of Jesus's healing miracle—showcasing weathered stone arches and architectural remnants that whisper of antiquity. Created just a decade after photography's invention, this work from a paper negative exemplifies early calotype techniques, prized for their soft tonal range and subtle details. Salzmann's 1853-54 expedition to Jerusalem produced some of the first photographs of the city's sacred sites, amid Ottoman rule and rising European interest in biblical archaeology. Blanquart-Évrard's refined printing process helped popularize such images, bridging art and documentation. Today, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this 22.7 x 32.8 cm print invites us to ponder Jerusalem's layered history—ruins blending Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader influences—offering a timeless window into faith, endurance, and the dawn of photographic exploration.

About the Artist

Imprimerie photographique de Blanquart-Évrard, à Lille|Auguste Salzmann ( |French) · |1851 – |1855

French|French, active 1851–55