Rachel's grab am Bethlehem-Wege
Bruno Hentschel, 18--?–ca. 1938
Rachel's grab am Bethlehem-Wege (Rachel's tomb in Bethlehem)
Leipzig, 1899
The resting place of the biblical matriarch Rachel, beloved wife of the patriarch Jacob, holds a profound significance in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions. When Rachel died while giving birth to her second son, Benjamin, Jacob chose not to inter her at the family cemetery plot, instead laying her to rest separately, alongside the road leading to Bethlehem. This unusual decision reflects Rachel’s role in protecting and praying for the Jewish people, who it was expected would take this path, and shows her humble nature. Similarly, for Muslims and Christians, Rachel symbolizes piety and eternal motherly love. Her grave is a sacred place for pilgrimage and worship for adherents of all three faiths.
The photograph on display offers a snapshot, literally, of this holy place in 1899. The distinctive white exterior of Rachel’s Tomb, with its recognizable dome, is seen on the left, while the edifices of the city of Bethlehem grace hills in the background. The figures of traditionally dressed local inhabitants stand by the large olive tree.
The image’s creator, Bruno Hentschel, born in Salzburg, Austria, worked as a photographer and publisher in Leipzig, where he established the publishing house Kunst-Verlag Bruno Hentschel in 1890. Around 1894 he opened a branch and shop near the Jaffa Gates in Jerusalem, which existed until around 1910. He specialized in images of this area—commonly known as the Holy Land by Jews, Christians, and Muslims—including landscapes, street scenes, people, and views of biblical sites. This photographic print mounted on cardboard comes from the album Jüdische Stätten in Palästina (Jewish sites in Palestine), which Hentschel published in Leipzig in 1899.
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