Skip to main content

Coupole de l’Ascension – Cupola of the Ascension

Felix Bonfils

Artwork Details

Coupole de l’Ascension – Cupola of the Ascension
circa 1867-1885
Felix Bonfils
albumen print on paper
10 15/16 in x 14 in (27.8 cm x 35.5 cm)
Gift of Margaret and Howard Bond
1994/2.30.6

Description

Subject Matter:

The unpainted Cupola of the Ascension, named for the location traditionally held to be where Christ ascended into heaven, stands solitary amid a walled-in stone courtyard. Sunlight bathes the white stone of the structure, an effect that washes out much of the visual detail. The courtyard and the surrounding stone wall have an unkempt appearance to them. A singular male figure stands at the door of the small building; whether he is entering or leaving remains ambiguous. This image is one of hundreds of photographs made throughout Bonfils's career which purport to document various landscapes, cityscapes, and people of the eastern Mediterranean.

Physical Description:

This photograph depicts a prominently placed domed structure in the center of a courtyard with a man standing at the threshhold of the door. 

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.