Scenes of Sana'a. Yihye Haybi's Photographs from Yemen, 1930-44 (Hardcover)

Author: Ester Muchawsky-Schnapper

Language: English / Hebrew

This striking collection of 60 photographs taken by the late Yihye Haybi in Yemen in the 1930s and 1940s, and now on display at of the Israel Museum, presents the rich cultural landscape of Yemen, especially Sana'a, during this crucial period of time before its modernization.

Yihye Haybi was a unique phenomenon in Yemen at a time when photography was against the law and could only be practiced with an official permit. He photographed his own Jewish community, but also life outside of it, especially at the Italian doctors' clinic where he worked as an assistant. He took rare pictures of Imam Yahya's court and the princely children, Muslim notables, simple soldiers and villagers. Concealing himself, he took forbidden shots of street processions and public events, managing to capture historical moments and even a public beheading.

Including an enlightening introductory essay, as well as informative captions which accompany each picture, this publication offers precious insights into the communities of Yemen at the time, and revealing the invaluable ethnographic and historical importance of Yihye Haybi's legacy.
 

2014

Hardcover

The Israel Museum, Jerusalem