Porte de Damas – The Damascus gate

Accession Number
1994/2.28.2

Title
Porte de Damas – The Damascus gate

Artist(s)
Felix Bonfils

Artist Nationality
French (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1867-1885

Medium & Support
albumen print on paper

Dimensions
14 in x 10 15/16 in (35.56 cm x 27.78 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Margaret and Howard Bond

Subject matter
In this photograph, an eclectic crowd of travelers stream out of the Damascus Gate, one of the main entrances to Jerusalem's so-called Old City. The bright sunlight which illuminates the scene drains out much detail in the uneven and partially decayed stone of the city walls. The interior of the gate appears like a black, rectangular chasm at the center of the image. This photograph is one of hundreds made by Bonfils that purport to document various important or famous sites in the regions of Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria.  

Physical Description
Numerous people emanate out of a pointed-arch gate which cuts through a line of stone city walls. 

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
city gates
city walls
cultural landscapes
historic landscapes
portals
travel photography

4 Related Resources

Christian Churches
(Part of 2 Learning Collections)
Nature in Photography
(Part of 3 Learning Collections)
Religious Buildings
(Part of 2 Learning Collections)

& Author Notes

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