Jérusalem, Minaret de l'ancienne mosquée d'Abd-es-Samed

Art Historical Context

In 1854, French photographer Auguste Salzmann captured majestic minaret of the mosque of Abd-es-Samed in, one of the earliest photographic records of the city's Islamic architecture. Produced as a salted paper print from paper negative by the innovative Imprimerie photographique Blanquart-Évrard in Lille, this (32.8 x 23.3 cm) exemplifies the pioneering calotype process, where light-sensitive paper negatives allowed for detailed, textured reproductions shared through printed multiples. Salzmann's journey to the Holy Land amid mid-19th-century European fascination with Orientalism aimed to document sacred sites threatened by time and conflict, blending scientific precision with artistic vision. The minaret's soaring form, etched with crisp shadows and intricate stonework, highlights photography's emerging power to preserve architecture faithfully—far surpassing earlier sketches or paintings in accuracy. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Gilman Collection, this print invites us to ponder Jerusalem's layered history, where a modest tower whispers tales of devotion and endurance across centuries.

About the Artist

Auguste Salzmann|Imprimerie photographique de Blanquart-Évrard, à Lille · 1824–1872

Born 15 april 1824. Salzmann travelled to Palestine in 1850 to 1851 as a draughtsman for a French expedition to the East. Salzmann returned to Paris, France in 1851 and learned photography which he used as an aid to his archaeological research. In 1853 Salzmann was commissioned by the Ministry of Public Instruction to visit Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and the islands of the Archipelago to photograph ...