This class will provide an introduction to the history of photography since its early days until the turn of the 20^thcentury in the West. In addition to the general survey on major photographs, photographers, and theoretical texts in this field, we will focus on three key problems concerning this unique practice. First we will discuss the ongoing theoretical struggle to define the qualities of photography. Secondly, we will talk about the cultural, social, and political role of photography in modern age, as it has redefined reality שand vision. Finally, we will stand on some aesthetic questions regarding photography as art, and its relation to other artistic methods.