Jérusalem, Vallée de Hinnom, Retraite des Apôtres

Art Historical Context

This salted paper print from 1854 captures the ancient ruins in Jerusalem's Valley of Hinnom, known as the Retraite des Apôtres (Retreat of the Apostles), a site tied to early Christian history. Photographed by Auguste Salzmann during his pioneering expedition to the Holy Land in 1853–54, the image vividly documents weathered architecture amid dramatic landscapes, evoking the biblical valley's layered past—from ancient sacrifices to its role in religious lore. Produced by the Imprimerie photographique de Blanquart-Évrard in Lille, a leading early photography studio, the work employs the calotype process: a paper negative yielding the soft-toned salted paper print. This technique, refined by Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Évrard, allowed for multiple prints from one negative, revolutionizing photographic reproduction and enabling wider dissemination of distant scenes. As one of Salzmann's series on Jerusalem's sacred sites, this photograph holds immense historical value, offering a mid-19th-century window into endangered ruins before modern preservation efforts. Its subtle textures and atmospheric depth highlight photography's emerging power to authenticate and immortalize cultural heritage for global audiences. (198 words)

About the Artist

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

French|French, active 1851–55