Jerusalem Through Lens and Brush
Joseph Hackmey
When I started collection Israeli art 25 years
ago, I was not only interested in the artists
aspect of the works, but also in the historical
and ethnographic aspects: What did the Land of
Israel look like in earlier times, and how did
the people live then? I therefore concentrated
on works of art that depicted life in the Land
of Israel, the landscapes and their inhabitants in those
times, as well as possessing intrinsic artistic value.
During the nineteenth century, the Land
of Israel attracted not only statesmen, soldiers,
and spiritual figures, but also artists - writers,
painters and photographers, the latter documenting
the land from the invention of photography onwards.
One of the first photographers was the Frenchman
Frederic Goupil-Fesquest, who first photographed
Jerusalem in daguerrotype in 1839. He was followed
by photographers from different countries, some of
whom settled in Jerusalem and though photography
to the local population, who in turn became
photographers of the city. These photographs
vividly reflect the influence Jerusalem exerts on
its holy sites, its inhabitants, and their daily
lives, while remaining faithful to both the majesty and
the difficulties of the Jerusalem life, evident then just as now.
I am happy to participate in the unveiling
of this treasure of photographs of Jerusalem from the
nineteenth century, and to share with you the experience
of the collector and his pleasure at seeing his collection
exhibited in this beautiful, exciting museum in Jerusalem.
I would like to thank everyone who worked on and
contributed to this exhibition and catalogue, especially
Dan Kyram, curator of the museum exhibition
and Amos Mar-Haim, initiator of the idea, and
I am honoured by the patronage of the Israel
Phoenix Company.
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