Wilhelm Hammerschmidt – Panorama of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (Four Photographs) – 1860s

Panorama de Jerusalem, prise du Mont des Oliviers – Early panoramic view of Jerusalem, composed of four joined photographs by Wilhelm Hammerschmidt, [1860s].

A large, early panoramic photograph of Jerusalem taken from the Mount of Olives. Composed of four photographic prints joined together; signed in the negative and numbered 100.

Wilhelm Hammerschmidt (ca. 1830-1869), German photographer, born in Berlin, who was among the first photographers to document the Near East. In 1860, he settled in Cairo and undertook several photographic journeys throughout Egypt and neighboring regions. He is best known for his panoramic views of Eastern cities and antiquities, which rank among the finest achievements of early Near Eastern photography. A selection of his works was exhibited at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Approx. 106.5X21 cm (overall size; sheet size: 114X29.5 cm). Good condition. Light creasing and minor blemishes to margins. Some staining (mainly on sheets). The four panels are joined with archival, acid-free tape on verso.

See: Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography, ed. John Hannavy (Routledge, New York, 2008), vol. I, p. 633.