Capturing the Holy Lands
During this month of Ramadan, journey back to the Holy Lands, with the earliest pioneers of photography. A new exhibition at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) brings together such snapshots of history, dating to the 19th century.
To the Holy Lands – Pilgrimage Centres from Mecca and Medina to Jerusalem, which opened this week, is the first of a number of collaborations between Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA) and the Reiss-Engelhard Museums (REM) in Mannheim, Germany. The photographs capture the timeless imagery of the people and the buildings at these historic sites, at a time when pilgrims embarked on the long journey without the modern-day luxuries of air or road travel. Although many have contributed to this rare collection, the most notewothy images are those by Mohammed Sadiq Bey, Al Sayyid Abd Al Ghaffar and Jokob August Lorent, according to curator, Dr Claude Sui.
Bey displayed a particular interest in Mecca and Medina, while Al Ghaffar, who hailed from Mecca, focused his efforts on the pilgrims themselves. Meanwhile, Lorent's photos of Jerusalem in 1846 are the only known collection in the world.
"These pictures have an aspect of living history and are unique because they capture the social conditions of the first pilgrims," says Dr Sui.
He adds: "Today, with digital technology, taking photos is easy; back then it wasn't. The equipment was heavy and they used glass negatives.
"Also, it was 40C during the day and -4C at night, so it went from one extreme to the other."
Dr Michael Tellenbach, the Deputy Director of Rem agrees, and believes the photos have significance due to the technological advances the photographers made, but it also has wider implications for the region.
"These pictures are the heritage of the Middle East, not just to show past commercial activities, but also for the cultural links they forged," he says.
Although the pictures belong to the Rem, it is the first time they have been shown in one collection.
The curators are reluctant to put a value on them, but Dr Sui says: "In recent years, the market prices for early photographs from the region have risen to dizzy heights. In 1998 Saudi Arabia was willing to pay $2.3 million (Dh8.4m) for an album containing prints by Sadiq Bey."
See the exhibition
To the Holy Lands – Pilgrimage Centres from Mecca and Medina to Jerusalem runs until November 4 in the entrance of building five at Dubai International Financial Centre. During Ramadan it is open from 9am until 2pm and from 9am until 9pm after Ramadan.