Jérusalem, Vallée de Josaphat, Détails du Tombeau d'Absalom

Auguste Salzmann|Imprimerie photographique de Blanquart-Évrard, à Lille

1854 · Salted paper print from paper negative · Photographs

This Hellenistic-Egyptian limestone tomb was erected in memory of King David’s rebellious son Absalom, who died about a thousand years before its construction. The structure’s style and origins fascinated Salzmann and led him to theorize that artisans descended from the Jewish slaves of Egypt described in the Book of Exodus had maintained Egyptian building traditions in ancient Israel. According to this theory, he placed the Jehoshaphat Valley series in the "Jewish Monuments" section of the final album.

Artist

Auguste Salzmann|Imprimerie photographique de Blanquart-Évrard, à Lille

Date

1854

Medium

Salted paper print from paper negative

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gilman Collection, Gift of The Howard Gilman Foundation, 2005