Eglise Sainte-Anne – St Anne's church

Accession Number
1994/2.28.9

Title
Eglise Sainte-Anne – St Anne's church

Artist(s)
Felix Bonfils

Artist Nationality
French (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1867-1885

Medium & Support
albumen print on paper

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

Credit Line
Gift of Margaret and Howard Bond

Subject matter
In this photograph, two bearded men in long white robes and fezzes stand near the southwest corner of Saint Anne’s Church in Jerusalem, which is bathed in sunlight. Despite their proximity and the similarity of their apparel, the relationship between these men remains unclear, as they do not interact with one another. While these men draw attention as the only signs of human life in the photograph, the picture’s overall emphasis is on the architecture of the Christian edifice behind them. Small lancet windows pierce the thick stone walls of the church, whose weight is supported by rudimentary buttresses. Fragments of classical architecture, likely spolia, litter the right-hand foreground, and another classical column can be seen standing upright in the left background, cordoned off by a short fence. This image is one of hundreds of photographs made throughout Bonfils's career which purport to document various landscapes, cityscapes, and people of the eastern Mediterranean.

Physical Description
Exterior view of a stone structure with dome. Two men stand near one of the corners of this building in the lower middle ground. Trees, bushes, and architectural fragments populate the right foreground.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
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Keywords
barrels (containers)
churches (buildings)
domes (architectural elements)
exterior views
flags
men (male humans)
spolia
travel photography

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted