Palestinian artist Anis Hamadeh’s illustration depicts a vibrant, mosaic-style interpretation of the Fifth Station of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is adapted from a historic black-and-white photo taken either by the American Colony Photo Department or its successor, the Matson Photo Service in the early twentieth century that features ancient stone archways and a narrow path. The photo is also featured in Walid Khalidi’s photographic history, Before their Diaspora.1
Via Dolorosa (Latin for “Sorrowful Way” or “Way of Suffering”) is the 600-meter-long route tracing the path that many Christians believe Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. This world-famous and historic pilgrimage route is marked by a series of Stations of the Cross, starting from the Antonia Fortress close to al-Haram al-Sharifand ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Anis Hamadeh is a freelance artist, journalist, songwriter, and author. He was born in 1966 in Hamburg to a German mother and Palestinian father. He holds a Master of Arts in Islamic studies, English, and linguistics and has lived and worked in Mainz, Germany, since 2005.
He created this painting in 2007.
See also Melons, Olive Harvest, and Easter in Jerusalem.