VIA DOLOROSA: STATIONS OF THE CROSS Photo

Photographer’s Note

INK SKETCH OF VIA DOLOROSA

This is an ink drawing turned into a photographic image. I take photos, and I also sketch (and paint) sites that I visit. In my youth I did more of the latter (drawing), and less of the former (photography).

What I’ve presented in this photo is the image of an ink drawing that I created in Jerusalem, and the upcoming holiday season seems timely for posting an image from the Holly Lands. A well-known site in the walled ‘Old City’ section of Jerusalem is the Via Dolorosa, or the “Way of Suffering.” According to tradition, this is the path that Jesus Christ carried his cross. Along the way there are 14 “Stations,” starting from Station #1, Antonio Castle, where he was condemned, and ending with Station #14, Golgotha, where he was buried. The stations in between mark the points where he paused momentarily to catch his breath. In Catholic churches — painted or carved images, emblematic of these stations, hang around the interior walls.

I’ve been to Jerusalem at least half-a-dozen times — four times in the late 70s, and twice in the late 90s, ostensibly to collaborate in research with a close friend, an Israeli theoretical physicist with whom I have worked since we were young post-docs at Oxford. Culmination of our research endeavors in the summers frequently came in the form of visits to historical and biblical sites. It was on one of these occasions, in 1979, that I produced the drawing.

The ageless practice of travelers to make sketches of the sites that they would visit began to disappear after Louis Daguerre in 1828 invented a history transforming technology. The French chemist concocted photographic emulsion, ushering in the age of photography. But the loss of drafting skills is an unfortunate effect, and the only unfortunate effect accompanying the invention of this technology. Producing drawings has salutary effects in enhancing our observational skills.

Charles Luttwidge Dodson, mathematician at Oxford, using the pen name “Lewis Carroll, authored the timeless classic, ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Dodson was an early photographic pioneer. (He even took portraits of Alice Liddell, daughter of the Dean.) In distinction, the great British essayist, John Ruskin, also of Oxford, was one of the last to resist taking up photography. He was a talented draftsman. But a few hundred years ago, this was the common practice of Leonardo and Galileo, and most other naturalists and scientist/artists.

There must be many other artists in TE. One that I know about is talented photographer Inna Airen (a_i_ren). I was emboldened to post the photo of this drawing in seeing Inna’s very good art.

sunilshukla, a_i_ren, stego, erdna, henrytf, meltemi, happypoppeye, thor68, dareco has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

sunilshukla (844) 2006-12-18 9:12

You are not only a good photographer but also a very good artist.
Sunil

lucero (964) 2006-12-18 9:56

Hola Bulent:
Digamos que este es un workshop muy manual. Yo también dibujo a partir de fotografías con un estilo similar al tuyo (yo utilizo lapiz). Estoy trabajando en un dibujo a partir de una imagen que encontre por aquí, y cuando la termine la publicaré.
Me gusta encontrar alguien aquí con una afición como la mia...
Un saludo: Javi

a_i_ren (1315) 2006-12-18 17:58

Hello, Bulent
I am glad i`ve inspired You to post Your beautiful drawing :-) Very nice! I ve been to Jerusalem many times,- an inspirational place, very special atmosphere...
Regards.
Inna

Polonaise (5636) 2006-12-18 23:19

Ending up on your site dear Bulent, after visiting many others, is like having a sip of exquisite, vintage wine after opulent dinner.
Reading your notes, looking at your 'productions' (using the word 'photographs' is definitively not adequate enough to express myself eloquently), it's a highest class entertainment ( and again...The word 'learning' is such a fearsome word!).
Your critiques, your opinions... Class in their own league.
I have strong desire to go to your site ever so often and leave a word or two but... I'm scared to death, Bulent.
You are overpowering me with your enormous knowledge, you're dwarfing my ego to the size of basic Mendeleyev's element, if not smaller than that.
This time, in the name of Christmas - please forgive me my inadequacy in assessing your drawings.
I just think they're most beautiful, delicate, if not fragile pieces of drawing art there is.
But then - who the heck am I to judge?
I hardly know a bit or two about photography...
The drawings...?
Oh, boy... Black magic for me.
----------------------------------
I wish you all the best now and always, holidays or not...
g.

thea0211 (1355) 2006-12-19 18:43

hi bulent,
uploading this drawing was a very good decision! (and makes me sorry i never had enough patience to learn how to draw properly :), even though i started a few times but life always had something else in store) - i can truly appreciate the talent and work that is behind your sketch.
but ... words are last of my talents :) ... and after reading what Polonaise wrote about you, your photographs, your exceptional every day notes and now your drawings ... what else is there to say?
maybe only that i'm glad i'm privileged to be around and that i want and expect to see and read more :) and ... thanks for sharing!
dora

thank you for pointing out inna's site - i'll take a look

erdna (5348) 2006-12-24 10:39

This is a very nice pen and ink drawing Bulent! I knew right away from the thumbnail that it is a drawing. It has a good shade and shadow treatment. Very well done.

Thank you for your comments on my photo,"Pond Reflections". I appreciate it. Your comment on the red flowers looking like an Asian chop mark made me smile. It does look like one.

I also draw and paint. Most of my drawings and paintings are posted in TrekLens under this theme MY PAINTINGS AND ARCHITECTURAL ILLUSTRATIONS You are welcome to visit.

Have a Happy Holiday Season,
Andre'

missninja (495) 2006-12-29 7:34

Hello Bulent!
Your sketch is very impressive. The play of light and shadow is great! The scene really seems to live. I agree with Sunil, you are a good photographer and a good artist.
Warm regards,
Nina

henrytf (977) 2007-01-09 17:56

Hello Bulent,
Thanks to TE I have had the opportunity to admire your ink sketch of the Via Dolorosa. Cartier Bresson went further. He almost stopped photography at the end of his life to devote most of his remaining time to drawing.
I agree with you about drawing but things might change a lot if, in our education systems, we applied the work by Roger W. Sperry who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work with split-brain research. Another person I would like to mention for her work in that domain is Betty Edwards, an artist and teacher. If you haven't done it yet read her book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". It might be interesting for such a connoisseur of Leonardo as you. Please, don't kill this suggestion with the left side of your brain. ;-)
To come back to your ink sketch, go on drawing but please don't quit photograpy.
Friendly
Henry

sandandtsunamis (34) 2007-03-14 19:22

Wow. Well done, and a nice capture. I also appreciate your comments on it...I suppose that it stands to reason that in our day and age of immediate capture, we forget that not much more than 100 years ago, people sketched what they saw. Thanks.
Regards,
Dave

happypoppeye (4060) 2007-04-27 22:26

Multi talented. That is what I see when I view this photo. Great sketch and great photo of the sketch. I do want to say that I think the frame is too overpowering for a sketch like this though. It's all opinion though so, well, oh well, I'll be in Jerusalem in June of 2008 and this photo wants me to go sooner. So, great work and great photo of the work.

John

dareco (17104) 2007-10-09 10:51

Thank you so much for sharing this!! You have an incredible gift! A very interesting note as well. For taking a picture of a picture you have superb detail. Very very nice!

JudyR (847) 2009-05-12 13:25

A treasure! Such detail and attention to shadow and light. Lovely! Judy