1920s "Jerusalem, the Old Monuments in the Valley of Jhoshaphath" Photogravure by Yaacov Ben-Dov, Framed

Details

Description

Very rare, authentic antique sepia toned photogravure made from a photo taken by Yaacov Ben-Dov in the 1910s-20s. This item … Read more Very rare, authentic antique sepia toned photogravure made from a photo taken by Yaacov Ben-Dov in the 1910s-20s. This item retains its original framing consisting of a simple and elegant glass and hardwood frame (walnut or maple) with the brown paper sealing the back. This is of exceptional quality and was created by the renowned Oakland, CA. framing studio Saake. Depending upon the light, these photogravures may appear either subtly sepia or black and white (sepia is a tone added to a black and white photograph in the darkroom to “warm” up the tones but is still considered black and white.)


A hand-pulled photogravure is just that–made by hand. Every print is inked and pulled by hand on a flat-bed press, and therefore each print is subtly unique. This is the gold-standard of all photomechanical processes.

"Simply put, photogravures are photographs etched into copper and printed traditionally with ink. Their rich velvety matte surface, deep shadows, delicate half tones, and luminous highlights make photogravures some of the most beautiful and tactile images ever printed. Their invention, critical to the development of photography itself, was derived from an extraordinary quest during the nineteenth century to harness the power to diffuse thought through the action of light" (photogravures.com)
Titled: Jerusalem, The Old Monuments In The Valley of Jhoshaphath in both English and Hebrew.
Bottom left: Y Bendov, Jerusalem

Measures:
Total size with frame:
14.5x10.5in. (37x25cm.)

A hand-pulled photogravure is just that–made by hand. Every print is inked and pulled by hand on a flat-bed press, and therefore each print is subtly unique. This is the gold-standard of all photomechanical processes.

"Simply put, photogravures are photographs etched into copper and printed traditionally with ink. Their rich velvety matte surface, deep shadows, delicate half tones, and luminous highlights make photogravures some of the most beautiful and tactile images ever printed. Their invention, critical to the development of photography itself, was derived from an extraordinary quest during the nineteenth century to harness the power to diffuse thought through the action of light" (photogravures.com)

Yaakov Ben-dov was born in Ukraine and studied at the Kiev Academy of the Arts. In 1907 he immigrated to Jerusalem where he studied at the Bezalel School of Art. Upon graduation he established the school's photography department as a faculty member. He then worked as a photographer for the Turkish army during WW1.

In 1917, Ben-Dov began work as a filmmaker, creating Israel's first film company (Menorah), producing pioneering documentaries about the Jews in Israel - prior to its statehood in 1948 (most notably "The Return to Zion" and “Tale of an American Tourist in Eretz Yisrael.”)

Hanania Brothers were photo technicians in operation in Jerusalem approx 1910s-30s.
In 1927 (according to Paris’ Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme), they published a portfolio of photogravures from Ben-dov’s photographs of Jerusalem. This work comes from that portfolio, which is now exceedingly rare. See less