"Gaza"

The Scottsman David Roberts’ (1796-1864), artistic talents were recognized early on. As a child he was apprenticed to a house painter, later he painted theatre scenery for a traveling circus. He was recognized as a very good draughtsman and traveled extensively sketching local scenery and costume. His greatest achievement was his work on the middle east entitled Views in the Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia, issued in six volumes and containing nearly 250 chromolithographs. In the autumn of 1838 Roberts hired a boat on the Nile, and made detailed drawings of the landscapes he viewed. This was quite an achievement as these lands were wild and in some cases inhospitable. He was particularly captivated by the Egyptian ruins. Roberts work introduced western society to the wonders of the Middle East, with accuracy and sensitivity and beauty.

Duotone folio lithograph, published: London: E.G. Moon, 1846-49.

14 x 19 ½ inches image, 16 x 23 ¼ inches sheet size.

Very slight waterstaining at bottom edge of sheet below title and out of sight with a matting.