Plate 113 Christian & Moslem Chapels on Summit of Sinai - After David Roberts

Roberts was particularly impressed with the view from the summit of Sinai and wrote in his journal on the 20th February 1839 'today we ascended to the summit of Sinai, which took us two hours. Near the top are two small chapels. One covers the cave where Elijah passed the night, the other is dedicated to Elias. On the summit are other two, - one where Moses received the tablets of the law, the other belongs to the Mahometans, and under it is pointed out the foot-mark of the camel that carried the prophet from Sinai to Mecca. The view from the top is the most sublime that can be imagined.' [1]
 
'At the time of Roberts's visit, both the chapel and the mosque were in a state of sad disrepair, but during the 1930s, extensive repair work was done. Today, most pilgrims and tourists prefere to spend the night high on the summit, until the light of dawn illuminates all the surrounding peaks and inches its way out to the Gulf of Aqaba.' [2]
 
The drawings and watercolours from this tour of the Holy Land and Egypt by David Roberts were collated together into lithographic folios and released over a seven year period (1842-1849) by the publisher F.G. Moon from 20 Threadneedle Street London. This lithograph is from the Royal Subscription Edition (1842-1849) which includes original hand-colouring from Louis Haghe's studio. There were only around 500 copies produced per lithograph in this edition.
 
Medium: Original Royal Subscription Edition, hand-coloured lithograph on thin India paper.
 
Half Plate 113.
 
Inscribed l.l. 'Christian & Mohamedan Chapels on the Summit of Sinai Feby 20th 1839' and l.r. 'David Roberts R.A.', 22.9 x 32.3cm (lithograph size) mounted.
 
References:
 
[1] David Roberts' Egyptian and Holy Land Journal, 20th February 1839.
 
[2] Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: The Holy Land. Swan Hill Press: London, 1997, p.50. Translated by Antony Shugaar.
 
Condition report: some very small foxing marks on the lithograph in the bottom half. These are not obvious unless viewed up close.