representing palestine in first local f

8/8/2019 Representing Palestine in First Local F

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Familial Snapshots: Representing Palestine in the Work of the

First Local Photographers

Nassar, Issam.

History & Memory, Volume 18, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2006, pp.

139-155 (Article)

Published by Indiana University Press

For additional information about this article

Access Provided by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at 10/01/10 7:04AM GMT

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FamilialSnapshots

RepresentingPalestineintheWoro

theFirstLocalPhotographers

iSSam naSSar

Thisessayexaminesthewaysinwhichtheintroductionophotographyasalocal

practiceinPalestineromthelatenineteenthcenturyaectedthewayPalestinians

saw,imaginedandpresentedthemselvesinphotographs.Theessaynarratesthe

historyotheinceptionophotographyasalocalcareerinPalestinebytracingthe

activitiesotherstknownlocalphotographers.Inthiscontext,itcriticallyques--

tionsthenotionsolocalandnon-localbeoreexaminingthespecicwaysinwhich

photographywasemployedwithinthelargercontextoPalestiniansociety.

LateOttomanandBritishMandatePalestinewasalandintransorma--

tion.Thepoliticaleventsotheperiod,alongwiththeincreasingimpact

omodernization,aecteditspoliticaleconomy,thegrowthourban

centers and the entiretyo its social landscape.Moreover, the arrival

romEuropeonewinventionswouldinfuencethewaypeoplelived

andthoughtabouttheirlives.ThemusicianWasiJawhariyya,whokept

adiaryabouthislieinJerusalemanditsvicinityrom1904untilhewas

uprootedromPalestinein1948,describedtheintroductionosuch

newproductsasthekerosenestove,thegaslight,blockice,thetheater,

thephonographandcinematograph. 1Healsorecorded,amongmany

otherevents,thearrivalotherstautomobileinJerusalemin1912,as

wellastheattemptedlandingoanOttomanmilitaryairplanein1914. 2

Jawhariyyasdiaryprovidesuswithaglimpseotheimpactthatthese

inventionshadonpeopleslives.


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PhotographyhadarrivedinPalestineseveraldecadesearlier,ata

timewhenthecountry,whichwasdividedintotwoadministrativedistricts

(sanjas),wasstillaprovincialregionwithinalargerempire,arawayrom

theeconomic,culturalandpoliticalcenterotheOttomanstate,whichhadruleditsince1517.Indeed,despiteitsgradualgrowthinimportance,

Palestinesweightinthelieotheempirewasnotyetmuchgreaterthan

thatoanyotherregionitssize.However,thereligioussignicanceo

thedistrictoJerusalem,whichincludedatthetimeanareaextending

romHebrontoNazareth,gaveitaspecialauraorMuslim,Christians

andJews.Politicaleventsconnectedwiththeriseocolonialinterestsin

theOttomanempire,alongwiththeEgyptianconquestoSyria,which

includedPalestine,in183140,signaledthebeginningoanewera.TheothersideoOttomanopennesswas theonsetopersistentEuropean

involvementintheaairsoPalestine,whichwouldhaveamajorpolitical

andsocialimpactintheregion.3

Crucial inshapingthenatureo thisEuropean involvementwas

Palestinesreligioussignicance.Theprominentplacethatitsholycit--

iesoccupiedintheChristianreligiousimaginationwasrefectedinthe

EuropeanperceptionoJerusalemasthecenterotheworld,notjust

inametaphoricalsense,butalsogeographically,asillustratedbyvarious

mapsromthelatemiddleages.ThecityandregionwhereJesushadlived

anddiedseemedtoarouseanever-growinginterestinChristianEurope:

overtwothousandbooksonPalestinewerepublishedinEuropeand

Americabetween1800and1878,4andnumerousEuropeantravelers

andexpeditionsarrivedtoexploretheHolyLand.

ItisinthiscontextorenewedEuropeaninterestintheHolyLand

thatphotographywasintroducedinPalestine.AEuropeandevelopment

ratherthanamodernizingtrendthatemergedromwithinOttoman

Palestineitsel,thearrivalophotographywas,liketheadventomoder--

nityingeneral,largelytheresultopoliticalandsocialprocesseswhose

centerogravitylayindistantplaces.Italsoindicatedthearrivalonew

times.EarlyphotographicinterestintheHolyLandwascloselylinkedto

acomplexweboEuropeanconnectionstotheMiddleEastatlargeas

wellastoPalestineitselinparticularcolonialandscienticinterestin

theregion,theromanticpassionorexoticsites,andarevivedChristianinterestinbiblicalstudiesandarchaeology.5


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AswasthecasewiththeearlierexperiencesomodernizationinEurope,

inPalestine too itwas closelyrelated totransormedtechnologieso

knowledge.Photography,oneotheearliestoaseriesoinventionsthat

wouldalterthewaypeoplerelatedtotimeandspace,constitutedalsooneotherstsignsothearrivalotheageomodernityintheregion.Itwas

ollowedbyanumberoinventions,suchasthetelegraph,thetelephone,

thebicycle,theautomobileandtheairplane,whichalsobecamepowerul

signsothemodernindustrialandrationalage.Thesubsequentshit

romOttomantoBritishruleaterWorldWarIinitselurtherostered

considerablegrowthanddevelopmentintheurbansector.Forunderthe

BritishMandate,Palestineceasedtobethesmallprovincialregionwithin

avastempirethatithadbeenundertheOttomans.Itemerged,instead,asacountrywithacentralgovernment,withinfuenceoverneighboring

regions,withitsownrailwaysystemandeventuallyitsownairport.

Butitheimpactotheintroductionothesetechnologiesinthe

regioncan,toanextent,beimaginedorinerred,thecaseophotogra--

phyismorecomplicated.True,likeotherinventionsitchangedtheway

peoplerelatedtotimeandspace;butitalsospecicallyaectedmemory

andtheorganizationoknowledge,hencemodesoshapingthepast

and,withit,thepresent.Indeed,theintroductionophotographyinthe

regionbytheEuropeanswouldgivethemacertainstrategicadvantage

inredeningorreconstructingthehistoryotheHolyLand.Atthe

sametime,photographywouldplayakeyroleintheormationothe

Palestiniancollectivememory.Asevidentbytherecentuseophotogra--

phybybothcontemporaryPalestinianhistoriansandbyrepresentatives

othenationalmovement,oldphotographsbecameacentralcomponent

othePalestinianrepresentationothepast.6Furthermore,photography

aectedpeoplesimageothemselvesandtheirsurroundings,aswill

becomeevidentbelow.

InDecember1839,theverysameyearinwhichLouisDaguerre

announcedtheinventionophotographytotheworld,HoraceVernetand

FrdricGoupil-FesquetarrivedinPalestinetophotographtheland.By

themiddleothecentury,picturesothecountry,primarilyoJerusalem,

BethlehemandNazareth,werealreadypopularinEuropeanditsNorth

Americancolonies.DepictionsoJerusaleminparticularweremoreread--ilyavailable,inbothartgalleriesandphotographicexhibits,thanthose

oanyotherAsianorAricancity,withthepossibleexceptionoCairo.


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PhotographsoJerusalemwereexhibitedalongsidethoseoParisand

London,andimagesoPalestinewereotenprinted,orglued,inBibles

andSundayschoolbooks.7

HundredophotographersmostothemEuropeansworkedintheMiddleEastrom1839totheendothecentury.Whiletheprecise

numberoamateurphotographerswhotookpicturesoPalestinein

thenineteenthcenturycannotbeestimated,itseemstohavebeenvery

large.8ThesephotographsoPalestineclearlyshowthatearlyphotogra--

phersseem,asarule,tohaveperormedbroadlysimilarunctionsand

servedasimilarclientele.Inmostcasestheyproducedphotographsthat

correspondedwiththeimageothecountryasaHolyLandinorderto

sellthemabroadortovisitingpilgrims.AlthoughvisitingphotographersromEuropedominatedthesceneormanyyears,adierentgroupo

photographersgraduallyemergedwhowereeitherromtheregionorhad

residedinitorsometime.Aswewillsee,someothemcontinuedthe

typeoworkundertakenbytherstvisitingphotographers,whileothers

begantoemployphotographyinnewways.Butcontrarytowhatmight

beassumed,therewasnoclearcorrelationbetweenthedivergingtrends

andthephotographersorigins,andnoneatdistinctioncanbedrawn

betweenoreignersandnativesothearea.

WHATISLOCALPHOTOGRAPHY?

TheocusothepresentessayonlocalphotographyinPalestineneces--

sarilyimpliessuchaclassicationintolocalandnon-local,butitrequires

ustorethinkthisverydistinction.Thesituationonineteenth-century

Palestineblurssuchdistinctions,makingthemolittleheuristicvalue.

Accordingtothemilletsystem,thenon-MusliminhabitantsoPalestine

wereorganizedintotheirrespectivereligiouscommunitiesandgranted

alargemeasureointernalreligiousandlegalautonomy.Thismadethe

localvs.oreignerdichotomyhighlyproblematic,especiallyincaseswhere

photographerswereOttomancitizensbutnotromPalestine,sincebelong--

ingtoarecognizedmilletalreadyestablishedinthesultanatewasmore

importantthanactualplaceobirth.Inotherwords,anArmenianwhowasnotborninPalestinewouldhaveeltathometheresimplybecause


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therewasalreadyanArmeniancommunitythatwouldhavewelcomed

himasoneoitsmembers.

StudiesoearlyphotographyoPalestinetendtohighlightthe

workoEuropeanphotographers,andinmorerecenttimestheworkoZionistJewishphotographers.Onlyahandulostudiesmentionthe

contributionsmadebyPalestinianAraborArmenianphotographers.

TheotendeliberateerasureothePalestiniansromPalestineanditshis--

toryappearstohaveinectedhistoriansophotographyaswell.Although

itisimportanttoreinsertPalestinianphotographersandtheirworkinto

Palestinianhistoryorobviouspoliticalreasons,theirworkalsomerits

astudyonitsownbecauseitstoodoutasratherdierentromthato

theirvisitingEuropeancounterparts,whoappeartohaveocusedalmostexclusivelyonPalestinesbiblicalheritage,orevenromthatotheearly

ZionistJewishphotographers,whichwaslargelydevotedtothedailylie

andpoliticsotheJewishyishuv(communityinPalestine),ratherthan

onthelivesothenativeArabpopulationandsociety.

Still, despite theobviousdierence insubjectmatter,aclear-cut

distinctionbetweenPalestinian,JewishandEuropeanphotographersis

notassimpleas itrstappears,or,nomatterwhotheywere,theyall

otencateredtotheneedsotheircustomersandindoingsocrossedthe

assumedboundariesbetweenthevarioustypesophotography.Finally,

theimplantationophotographyintheregionprogressedthroughthe

creationomixedproductionsitesandheterogeneousgroupsopracti--

tioners.Photography,introducedtotheregionbyEuropeans,established

itselasalocalcrat.Theearliestphotographicestablishmentswereestab--

lishedinthelate1860sbyEuropeanswhohadmovedtotheregion.The

BonlsstudioinBeirut,theZangakistudioinPortSaid,PascalSebahin

Istanbul,andlatertheAmericanColonyphotographicestablishmentin

Jerusalemintheearlytwentiethcenturyweresomesuchexamples.Those

establishmentsotenemployedlocalapprenticeswhowouldeventually

takeupthetrade.9

Nonetheless,theOttomancensusshowsthattherewerepractic--

inglocalphotographersinPalestineasearlyas1877.Inhisthorough

studyoPalestineinthelatenineteenthcentury,AlexanderScholchlists

ourphotographersdescribedasthreelocalGreekOrthodoxandoneArmenianwhoworkedinJerusalemin1877;onlyayearearlierthey

hadnumberedtwo(describedaslocalChristians).10Sowhowerelocal


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photographersandwhatdoesthisappellationmean?Accordingtothe

NewShorterOxordEnglishDictionar,alocalisapersonwhohasan

attachmenttoacertainlocalitywithinterestsarisingoutosuchattach--

ment.11Inhisdiscussionolocality,ArjunAppaduraiarguesthatitisconnectedmoretorelationsandcontextsthantoplacesandlocation.

Localityisessentiallyaqualitythatisconstitutedbyaseriesolinks

betweenthesenseosocialimmediacy,thetechnologiesointeractivity,

andtherelativityocontexts.12Inotherwords,localitybecomesanissue

relatedmoretosocialcontextthantophysicalplace.Itisthecontextin

whichimageswereproduced,exchanged,viewedandassignedmeanings

thatmustbeplacedatthecoreoourattempttodiscernwhatislocalabout

them.Accordingtothisapproach,thesubjectothephotographbecomescrucialsinceitisveryclearthatthedierentmarketsoexchangewere

interestedonlyinwhattheimagedepictedanditssubjectsrelationtoa

particularcommunityoviewers.ChristianEurope,orinstance,wasar

moreinterestedinHolyLandimagesthaninthepeopleoPalestine.

Hence,itwastheimageandnotthephotographerthatmattered

most.Ithepicturedepictedthedesiredimage,thenitwasindemand

regardlessowhoproducedit.Itisorthisreasonthat,inexaminingthe

emergenceolocalphotography,itisruitlesstoocusexclusivelyonthe

national,ethnicorreligiousidentityothephotographersattheexpense

otheworktheyproducedanditsrelationtothelocalsociety.Whether

thephotographerswereArmenians,Arabs,Europeanresidents,Muslims,

ChristiansorJews,whatconersonthemthequalityolocalisessentially

theworktheyproducedand its relationshiptolocaltopics,perspec--

tives,interestsandpublics.ItheirworkrefectedtheabricoPalestinian

societyatthetimebyrepresentingitslieromwithinandcateredtothe

localdemandorphotographsinsteadosimplycateringtothemarket

demandorHolyLandparaphernalia,itcanbeconsideredlocalpho--

tography.Inotherwords,localphotographywouldbeanyphotography

thatrepresentedsociallieinPalestineasopposedtothedepictionso

biblical landscapes,ontheonehand,andZionistphotography,which

tendedto ocusalmostexclusivelyontheJewishsettlementproject in

Palestine,ontheother.Inthissense,thephotographsoRamallahtaken

bytheAmericanElihuGrantbetween1901and1904canbetermedlocalphotography.Notonlydotheycapturelieinthetownbuttheywere


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alsoproducedorthebenetothetowndespitetheactthatGrant

himselwasanoutsider.13

THEEMERGENCEOFALOCALPRACTICE

Althoughtheoverwhelmingmajorityonineteenth-centuryphotographers

workinginPalestinewereeitherEuropeansorOttomansubjectsrom

regions araway romPalestine,adistinctly local photographictradi--

tionbegantoemergetowardtheendothenineteenthcentury.Several

photographicstudioshadbeenestablishedinJerusalemandJaabythe

turnothecentury,andbythetimeotheBritishconquestin1917/18,photographywasalreadyalocalcrat,andanumberophotographic

establishmentsinahandulocitiesservedagrowingdemandorphoto--

graphswithinPalestine.14

Thebeginningso localphotography inPalestine canbe traced

backtotheearly1860swhen,attheArmenianconventoSt.Jamesin

Jerusalem,theArmenianPatriarchYessayiGarabedianestablishedwhat

wouldbecomethenucleusolocalphotographicpractice.Intheearly

1860sGarabedianhadstartedcoursesinphotographywithinthechurch

compoundintheOldCityoJerusalem.In1863heletJerusalemor

Europe,wherehevisitedManchester,LondonandParisandkeptabreast

othelatestdevelopmentsinphotography.HisreturntoJerusalemlater

thatyearandsubsequentappointmentaspatriarchdidnotdampenhis

enthusiasmorphotography.15

ManyoGarabediansstudentswentontopracticeproessionally

andsooncontrolledthelocalmarket.OneothemwasGarabedKriko--

rian,oneotheearliestlocalphotographersinJerusalem,whoin1885

openedtherstphotographicstudioinPalestine.16Thestudio,whichwas

locatedoutsideJaaGateotheOldCityoJerusalem,soonbecamean

importantphotographic establishmentoutowhichanewgeneration

ophotographerswouldemerge.Eventhelocationothestudiowould

acquirespecialsignicance,ormostothephotographicstudiossubse--

quentlyestablishedwerealsolocatedinthevicinityoKrikoriansstudio.17

AtthetimewhenKrikorianopenedhisshop,theareaoutsideJaaGatewasJerusalemsCentralStation.Notonlywasitpackedwithhorsecar--

riages,carsandtravelersarrivingromnearbyvillagesaswellasromJaa


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andBethlehem,butitwasnexttoHotelFast,perhapsthemostimportant

hotelinJerusalematthetime,andThomasCooksTravelOce.Itis

reasonabletoassumethatKrikorianchosethisparticularsiteorhisshop

becauseotheareasunctionasthemaintouriststopintown,andtheotherphotographicstudiosollowedsuit.Aterall,HolyLandpictures

wereindemandallaroundtheworld.Krikoriansshopremainedopen

underthemanagementohissonJohannesuntilitwaslostin1948ater

thedivisionothecitybetweenJordanandIsraelandthetransormation

othelocationintothedangerousno-manslandthatseparatedthetwo

partsoJerusalem.

ThesameatebeellKrikoriansmaincompetitor,thephotographer

KhalilRaad,whoseshopwasacrossthestreetromKrikorians.Asarasweknow,RaadwastherstArabphotographerinPalestine.Hewas

rstintroducedtophotographywhenhewasanapprenticeatKrikorians

studio.Intheearly1890sheopenedhisownshopandlaterdecidedto

studyphotographyinSwitzerland.FollowinghisreturntoJerusalem,he

wasappointedtheocialphotographerotheOttomanarmy.

KhalilRaadbecameknownorhisstudioportraitsaswellasorhis

photographsoamilyevents.EdwardSaidrecallsinhismemoirshowhis

ownamilyusedtohavetheirportraitstakenbyRaadinJerusalem.Said

presentsuswithadetaileddescriptionowhathecalledthedemanding

rigoroKhalilRaadshoodedtripodcamera.Raad,whoisdescribedas

aslightlybuiltwhite-hairedman,usedtotakeagreatdealotime[to

arrange]thelargegroupoamilyandguestsintoacceptableorder.18

AroundthesametimeasKrikorianandRaadhadtheirstudiosin

Jerusalem,thephotographersDaoudSabonjiandIssaSawabiniopened

uptheirownphotographicestablishmentsinJaa.Wedonotknowithe

rstwasconnectedwiththeamousSabonjiphotographersinBeirutat

thetime,althoughitseemsplausible.Sawabini,however,wasanativeo

JaawholearntthetradeduringhisuniversityeducationinRussia.He

hadwhatappearstobeavibrantphotographiccareerjudgingbythemany

photographsoundinamilycollectionsthathavehissignatureaxedon

them.SawabinisJewishapprentice,acertainRachman,wouldalsobecome

animportantphotographerinJaaandneighboringTelAviv.19Bythe

endotheOttomanperiodallthreemajorcitiesoPalestine,Haia,JaaandJerusalem,hadanumberophotographicstudios.Thepresenceo

proessionallocalphotographersintheearlytwentiethcenturypointsto


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thebirthoanewphotographictraditionwithrespecttothewayinwhich

PalestineanditspeopleweredepictedinearlyEuropeanphotography.

Inwhatollows,Iwillexaminethephotographicpracticeothethree

earlyphotographersoPalestine,Krikorian,RaadandSawabini.Althoughthersttwoalsodidmuchworkorthetouristmarketthatwasnodier--

entromthatproducedbytheirearlierEuropeancounterpartsimages

oholysites,religiousceremonies,reenactmentobiblicalstories,visitso

statesmenandviewsothemajorcitiestherewasanotherpartotheir

workthatcateredtoadierentclientele,andthereorelessknown.Indeed,

thebulkotheworkothesethreephotographerswasconnectedtothe

lieotheircommunities.Theyphotographedpersonal,amilyandother

socialoccasionsanddocumentedpoliticalchangesinPalestinethroughouttheircareers.AlthoughtheearlyEuropeanphotographersparticularly

residentswithstudiosintheregionalsoproducedsomeportraitsolocal

peopleandphotographsosocialevents,theydidsowithaneyetothe

touristmarketinterestedinbiblicalimages.

EarlyEuropeanportraitphotographyinPalestinetendedtoignore,

orevenobliterate,theindividualidentityothepeopleportrayed.The

subjectsophotographsbyTancrdeDumas,theBonlsstudioandothers

wereotendepictednotasparticularindividualsbutasrepresentativeso

typesopeoplelivingintheHolyLand.Thechoiceopose,setting,

objectandsubjectwasinthehandsothephotographer.Incontrast,in

localphotography,theobjectothepicturewashisorherownsubject:it

wastheywhodecidedtobephotographedandchosetheposeandimage

inwhichtheywouldappear.Interestingly,however,theyotenimitated

imagestheyhadseeninearlyEuropeanphotography.Forexample,itwas

notuncommonorurbanwomentobephotographeddressedasBedouins

orBethlehemites(gure1).ThestudiosoKrikorianandRaad,among

others,hadanumberocostumesatthedisposalotheircustomerswho

couldchoosetobephotographedintheguiseoothermoreexotic

locals.Thishabitmightbeexplainedbytheactthatmanyothecustomers

otheearlylocalstudiosweremorelikelytoberomthewealthyurban

segmentsoPalestiniansociety.Itappearsthatthenewlyemergingclass

ourbanaristocracyhadullyadoptedEuropeanattireandliestyleand,

alongwithit,theperceptionopeasantsandBedouinsasexoticOrientals.Eventhoughtheresultingimagecouldinmanycasesbeverysimilarto

thosecommonlyproducedbyEuropeanphotographers,theroleothe


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Fig.1.NajlaKrikorianasaBedouinwoman.AstudioportraitbyJohannesKrikorian,Jerusalem,1921.20

individualbeingphotographedasapassiveobjectorasanactivepar--

ticipantinthechoiceosubjectremainsanimportantdistinctioninthecontextothepresentdiscussion.Theeasewithwhichsuchlocalsubjects

posedinrontothecamera,whencontrastedwiththeunknownmodels,

isquiteremarkable.

Severaltrendscanbediscernedinthepracticeoearlylocalpho--

tographers.Therstandperhapsthemostcommonwastheproduction

oamilyportraits,whichwasrathercommonrstamongChristianArab

amiliesbutwassoonadoptedbyrichurbanMuslimamiliesasearly

asthe1920s.Suchphotographswouldtypicallydepicttheheadothehouseholdi.e.themanatthecenter,withhiswieathisside,inalower

position,surroundedbytherestotheamily.Thepatriarchalnatureo


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ArabsocietyinPalestineatthetimeisevidentinsuchimages.Astudio

portraittakenin1911bySawabinishowstheather(AlredRoch)stand--ingwithangerpointedtowardhisbabydaughter(Ortineh),heldby

hermother(Olinda).Themotherisdressedinamannerthatsuggests

shebelongedtoVictorianAmericaorBritain(gure2).Thephotograph

thuspresentsuswithamlangeoideasandattitudesbelongingto

variouscontemporaneousculturaltrends.Thecontrastherebetweenthe

posturesohusbandandwiebringstomindJohnBergersobservation

regardingtheexistenceoaconventioninmodernEuropeanartwhere

menactandwomenappear.21

Thepositioningandthegestureotheatherareintendedtoarmthevaluesopatriarchythatwerestrictlyupheld

inArabsocietyothetime,andthepostureothemothersuggeststhat

Fig.2.AlredandOlindaRochwiththeirdaughterOrtineh,Jaa,1911.PhotobyIssaSawabini.


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shewasattentivetothewayshewouldappeartoviewers.Theattireoall

threeshowsthetrendtowardWesternizationamongthelocalupperclass.

Astimewentby,photographsotheamilywithoutthepatriarchstarted

tobecomecommonincertainregionsandsocialclasses.EmigrationtotheAmericasorwartimeconscriptionmightexplaintheathersabsence

(indeed,itislikelythatsuchphotographsweretakenorthebeneto

theabsentather).

Thesecondtrendwasrstassociatedwithphotographersrom

missionarygroupsactiveinPalestineatthetime.Itwascommonor

missionary schoolstohire photographers inorder toproduce images

showingtheircharitableactivitiesorthebenetotheiroundersabroad.

BothRaad andSawabini regularly photographedschoolgraduationceremonies,weddingsinRamallah,especiallyothosewhowereassoci--

atedwiththeQuakerschool(theFriendsSchool).Theirpicturesoten

appearedinQuakerpublicationsoriginatinginPhiladelphiaintheUS,

wheretheQuakershadtheirheadquartersatthetime. 22Photographing

thegraduatingclassesothemissionary schoolswasanothercommon

practice,inwhichmanylocalphotographerstookpart,includingthose

discussedabove.23

Thethirdtrendthatwascommonincertainareas,particularlythose

withasignicantChristianpopulation,waspost-mortem photography

(photographingthedeceasedbeoreorduringtheuneral).Photographs

odeceasedclergy,especiallypatriarchsandbishops,canbeoundinthe

photographicarchivesomanychurchesoPalestinedatingbacktothe

latenineteenthcentury.Thistradition,whichwasapparentlylimitedat

rsttotheclergy,seemstohavebecomepopularamongChristiansin

theearlypartothetwentiethcentury.Inact,itwasnotuncommonor

localphotographic studios toadvertise thatthey specializedinuneral

pictures.Inmanyinstances,thedeceasedwouldbephotographedalmost

inastandingposition,withtheconraisedalittleandsurroundedbythe

amily.Itisnotknownhowthistraditionemergedinearlyphotographyo

theNearEast.Nonetheless,post-mortemphotographywasnotunknown

inotherpartsotheworldinthisperiod,suchastheUSandIndia.The

resorttopost-mortemphotographsinthecaseoPalestinewasperhaps

duetotheactthatthesubjecthadneverbeenphotographedduringhisorherlietime:inthatcase,thesubjectslastpicturewasalsotherst.

Italsodemonstratedamoregeneralhumantrait:takingapicturewith


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thedeceasedsurroundedbyamilymemberswasperhaps,asChristopher

Pinneypointedoutinhisdiscussionothisphenomenoninthecaseo

India,anexpressionoacombinationolove...andtheneedorgrie-

strickenrelativestoclingtomemoriesothedeceased.24Indeed,suchphotographycanstillbeoundtoday.

AourthtrendinlocalphotographyiswhatIwouldtermwarpho--

tography,whichincludesbothstudioportraitsomeninarmyuniorm

andpicturesocombatoreventsrelatedtothevariouswarsandrebellions

thataectedPalestineatthetime.OnecanndphotographsoPalestinian

meninOttomanarmyuniormandinBritishpoliceuniorm,andlater,

portraitsoresistanceghters.WhilethestudiosoKrikorian,Raad,and

Sawabini(inJaa)producedthistypeoportrait,thenextgenerationolocalphotographers,suchasHannaSaehandAliZarour,tooksimilar

pictures,butintheeldandoutsidetheconnesothestudio.Several

photographsromthe1940sbyHannaSaeh,orexample,showleaders

suchasAbdal-Qaderal-Husseini,commanderotheal-Jihadal-Muqad--

das(HolyWar)Army,posingorthecamerasurroundedbyotherarmed

men.SaehalsophotographedtheArabattackontheJewishquartero

theOldCityoJerusaleminMay1948,aswellasthebattleotheGush

EtzionJewishsettlements(betweenBethlehemandHebron)inMay1948.

Accordingtoaneyewitnessaccount,SaehtraveledinthetankoAbdullah

al-Tal,commanderotheJordanianorces,whocapturedthesiterom

theIsraeliorcesin1948.Anotherphotographerwhodocumentedthe

1948warwastheGaza-basedAbdal-RazakBadran.25Otherphotographs

documentingthe1936Arabrevoltandthe1948warcanotenbeound

inamilycollectionsandarchives.

Thetrendsdiscussedaboveattesttotheactthattherewasindeeda

localPalestinianphotographictradition,onethatemployedthemedium

inwaysthatweresignicantlydierentromtheEuropeandepictions.

Clearly,photographyhadounditsownplacewithinPalestiniansociety,

lessasanart,andmoreasameansodocumentingsocialandprivatelives.

Photographsthatsuggestthatthemediumwasusedasanartormare

ratherrareandnonexistentinthecaseoourthreephotographers.One

otheewsuchphotographs,datingbackto1922,showsamannamed

Mr.Skaposinginourdierentpositions(gure3).Inanalmostsurrealsetting,threeMr.Skasaresittingaroundadiningtableeatingpotatoes,

whileaheadalsooMr.Skaisplacedonaplateinrontothem!


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*OnemightarguethatphotographyinPalestinehadseveralbeginnings

andmultiplehistories.Firsttherewasthearrivalophotographyin1839

asaEuropeaninvention,whichIhavebriefyoutlinedinanattemptto

establishaninitialrameoreerence.WithEuropeanphotographers

certainideasandtraditionsinphotographyweregraduallyestablished.

Thentherewasthebeginningophotographyasalocalcratamong

ArmenianandArabphotographers.Thisbeginningwaslargelyconnected

withtheadventomodernityintotheOttomanEmpireandinparticular

intoJerusalem.Thethirdbeginningwasconnectedwiththestarto

theZionistsettlementinPalestine,whichbroughtanumberophotogra--

pherstothecountrytodocumentthebirthandthegrowthotheJewish

yishuvsomethingtowhichIhavebarelyreerred.Althoughthereare

numerousstudiesonbothZionistandEuropeanphotographersoPal--

estine,littlehasbeenwrittenaboutthelocalphotographyoPalestine.26

Thisessayhassoughttodrawattentiontoanumberophotographerswho

havesoarbeenignoredand,almostmoreimportantly,tocarveaplace

inthehistoryophotographyinPalestineorwhatIhavecalledalocal

photographictradition.Muchworkstillremainstobedoneintheeld.

Notonlyisthestudyothedevelopmentolocalphotographyimportant

orunderstandingtheadventomodernityinitslocalorm,butitalso

Fig.3.Mr.Skainourdierentpositions,Bethlehem,1922.Photographerunkown.


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oersthesocialhistorianimportantmaterialrelevanttothesocialchanges

thatweretakingplaceatthetime.

Earlylocalphotographyhasletalargenumberorecordsopoliti--

calanddailylie.Atthesametime,itprovidesuswithaninsightintohowlocalpeopleviewedandramedthemselvesatthattime.Aterall,

photographsplayanimportantroleinshapingwhatweknowandhow

weknowit.AsSusanSontagsorightlysaid,photographersalterand

enlargeournotionsowhatisworthlookingatandwhatwehavearight

toobserve.27

NOTES

Thisarticleisbasedonmypreviouswork,whichappearedinmybook, Laqatatt

mughaira:Al-taswiral-mahallifflastin,18501948(Dierentsnapshots:Early

localphotographyinPalestine,18501948)(Beirut,2005).

1.Thememoirs,editedbyIssamNassarandSalimTamari,werepublishedin

Arabicin2003and2005bytheInstituteoJerusalemStudiesinJerusalemand

theInstituteoPalestineStudiesinBeirut.

2.TheplanecrashedbeoreitarrivedinJerusalemonitswayromJaa.SeeSalimTamariandIssamNassar,eds.,Al-Qudsal-uthmaniafal-mudhairat

al-jawharia(OttomanJerusalemintheJawhariyyamemoirs)(Beirut,2003),

16869.SeealsoSalimTamari,JerusalemsOttomanModernity:TheTimes

andLivesoWasiJawhariyyeh,JerusalemQuarterlFile,no.9(summer2000):

534.

3.ForurtherinormationonPalestineinthenineteenthcentury,seeAlexander

Scholch,PalestineinTransormation(18561882):StudiesinSocial,Economicand

PoliticalDevelopment,trans.WilliamC.YoungandMichaelC.Gerrity(Washing--

ton,DC,1993).SeealsoA.L.Tibawi,BritishInterestsinPalestine,18001901:

AStudoReligiousandEducationalEnterprise(London,1961).

4.ReinholdRohricht,BibliothecaGeographicaPalaestinae:Chronologisches

VerzeichnissderaudieGeographiedesHeiligenLandesbezglichenLiteraturevon

333bis1878,(Berlin,1890;rept.London,1989),338587.

5.Forurtherelaborationonthis,seeIssamNassar,PhotographingJerusalem:

TheImageotheCitinNineteenth-CenturPhotograph(Boulder,CO,1997),

2530.

6.ThereareseveralpictorialhistoriesothePalestinians,thebestknownbeingWalidKhalidi,BeoreTheirDiaspora:APhotographicHistorothePalestinians,

18761948(Washington,DC,1984).


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IssamNassar

154

7.Areportonanarchitecturalphotographicexhibitin1860statedthatthe

photographsinthisexhibitarejudiciouslyclassedbycountries,althoughthevarious

nationsareunequallyrepresented.FranceandEnglandaregreatlyinthemajority,

asmighthavebeenexpected:nextollowSpain,Rome,Venice,Jerusalemanditsneighbourhood.SeeTheBritishJournaloPhotograph,15March1860,88.

8.Thepresentstudyconnesitseltophotographstakenbyproessionalpho--

tographers,ortheyweremorewidelyaccessibletothegeneralpublicbothin

theMiddleEastandinEuropeandcanbeconsideredtheproductoamarket

demandorHolyLandimages,illustratingmoreclearlythetypeophotographs

soughtbythepublic.

9.ForurtherinormationaboutearlylocalphotographersinPalestineand

theirteachers,seeNassar,Laqatattmughaira,5071.

10.The1876gureisbasedonWarrensUndergroundJerusalem,andthe

sourceothe1877gureisA.M.Luncz,ed.,Jerusalem:JahrbuchzurBerder--

ungeinerwissenschatlichgenauenkenntnissdesjetzigenunddesaltenPalstinas

(Vienna,1882);citedinScholch,PalestineinTransormation,12630.

11.TheNewShorterOxordEnglishDictionar,ThumbIndexEdition(1993),

s.v.Localism.

12.ArjunAppadurai,ModernitatLarge:CulturalDnamicsoGlobalization

(Minneapolis,MN,1996),178.

13.PhotographstakenbyGrantwereprintedinTheRamallahMessenger,thenewsletterotheSocietyoFriendsinNewEngland.SeeNassebShaheen, A

PictorialHistoroRamallah(Beirut,1992),31.

14. YessayiGarabedian describedhis ascinationwithphotography inhis

memoirs,callingitinArmenian arhest(crat)ratherthanarvest(art).SeeRuth

Victor-Hummel,CultureandImage:ChristiansandtheBeginningsoLocal

Photography in19thCenturyOttomanPalestine, inAnthonyOMahony,

GorenGunnerandKevorkHitlian,eds.,TheChristianHeritageintheHolLand

(Jerusalem,1995),186.

15.SeeBadral-Hajj,KhalilRaad,photographeJerusalem,Revuedtudes

Palestiniennes37(autumn1990):99100.

16.ForurtherinormationseeVictor-Hummel,CultureandImage.

17.ThatKrikorian,KhalilRaad,HannaSaehandAbuIssaFrejiallhadthere

studiosonJaaRoadclosetotheJaaGatecanpossiblybeexplainedbytheact

thattheywereallChristianswhoeitherlivedinorwereconnectedtothequarters

closetothelocation.Furthermore,JaaGatewasthemaingatethroughwhich

pilgrimsandtouristsarrivedinthecityromJaaeitherbycarriageorbytrain.

Theareahadseveralinnsorpilgrimsandwasthemaintransportationstationorcartsthattraveledtootherpartsothecountry.InthelateryearsoBritishrule


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inPalestine,studioswerestillbeingestablishedonJaaRoad,buturthertothe

northinthenewpartothecity.

18.EdwardSaid,OutoPlace:AMemoir(NewYork,1999),76.

19.ThiswasmostlikelyPinchasRachman(18881953).SeeGuyRaz,Pho--tographersoEretz Israel/Palestine/Israel(18552000)(inHebrew)(TelAviv,

2003),68.

20.ThephotographsreproducedherearetakenromNassar,Laqatatt

mughaira.TheoriginalphotographsareinthearchiveotheFondationArabe

pourlImageinBeirut.

21.JohnBerger,WasoSeeing(Harmondsworth,UK,1972),45and47.

22.ExamplescanbeoundinShaheen,APictorialHistoroRamallah.

23.Theshortageinphotographersmeantthatpeopleothesurroundingvil--

lagesandtownsregularlyemployedtheJaaandtheJerusalemphotographers,

whotraveledromonetowntoanother.

24.ChristopherPinney,CameraIndica:TheSocialLieoIndianPhotographs

(London,1997),139.

25.Abdal-RazakBadran(19192003)wasborninHaia.HelivedinSaed

andNablusbeoremovingtoCairowherehestudiedphotographyattheSchool

orAppliedArtsatCairoUniversity.HeownedaphotographystudioinJaa

duringtheBritishMandateperiod,subsequentlyoundinghisStudioorArtand

PhotographyinGazain1941.26.ForJewishphotographyinPalestine,see,orexample,VivienneSilver-Brody,

DocumentorsotheDream:PioneerJewish Photographers inthe LandoIsrael,

18901933(JerusalemandPhiladelphia,1998);orEuropeanphotography,seeKathleenStewartHowe,ed.,RevealingtheHolLand:ThePhotographicExplora--

tionoPalestine(SantaBarbara,CA,1997).27.SusanSontag,OnPhotograph(NewYork,1977),3.

representing palestine in first local f

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