Antique Hand Coloured Photo Arab Carpenter Jerusalem c 1914

This is an antique hand coloured photo depicting an Arab carpenter working with traditional tools.  This photo is somewhat well-known and reproduced in magazines of the time with a title that read “Working With Hands And Toes”, with a credit that read “American Colony, Jerusalem” and a caption that read “The tools used by this Arab carpenter may be primitive, but he certainly seems happy enough in his work. The whip-like object he holds with his right hand rotates a drill by means of a strap attachment.  The piece of olive wood on which he is working is held firmly on the block that serves him as a bench by his toes.  His methods must be very similar to those used in the Holy Land of ancient times when Jesus Christ himself was known as a carpenter.”  I’ve seen this image dated anywhere between 1898 and 1919, but the 1914 dating appears most credible to me.

Caption: Hand inscribed “Village Carpenter Making Plow”

Medium: Photographic print with hand colouring, mounted and framed under glass

Framed Dimensions (each): 15" height × 12 3/4" width 

Display area: 11” by 8 5/8”

Condition: In very good condition. Hand-colouring remains vivid. Frame is also in very good condition, but original paper backing is worn and partially detached.

This is a wonderful antique hand coloured photo - very nice display piece for a woodworker….