Jérusalem. Façade de l'Église Ste. Anne.

Art Historical Context

Visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Photographs department find *Jérusalem. Façade de l'Église Ste Anne* (Jerusalem. Façade of the Church St. Anne), a 1860s albumen silver print from a paper by the collaborative team of J. Blondeau, Antonin, Louis decq, and H. Jannin. Measuring 11 x 8 9/16 inches on its mount, this image precisely captures the ornate stone facade of the historic Crus-era church in Jerusalem's Old City, highlighting its Romanesque arches, doorways, and intricate carvings bathed in sharp midday light. Created in the mid-19th century, when photography was revolutionizing travel documentation, this work exemplifies the era's passion for recording sacred sites in the Holy Land. European photographers like de Clercq, a French pioneer who journeyed through the Middle East, used albumen prints—made by coating paper with egg whites and silver salts—for their rich tonal range and fine detail, allowing viewers back home to "visit" remote architectural wonders. The paper negative process enabled larger, more detailed positives, making such images prized souvenirs and scholarly tools. Part of the Gilman Collection, this photograph not only preserves St. Anne's Church—a 12th-century gem dedicated to the Virgin Mary's mother—but also reflects 19th-century Orientalist fascination with biblical landscapes, bridging art, history, and faith for modern audiences.

About the Artist

J. Blondeau et Antonin|Louis de Clercq|H. Jannin (French|French|French) · 1837 | | –1901 | |

French, 1837–1901|French|