Plate 18 Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives - After David Roberts
This impressive view of the Holy City of Jerusalem seen from the road to Bethany is one of Roberts' iconic Holy Land Views. The artist has drawn this composition from the Mount of Olives which helps to give a perspective on the distance from the walled city to the famous biblical site. The date on the lithograph for the 5th April 1839 doesn't correspond with Roberts' journal (which can often be the case). The artist likely finished up the work on this day. Instead the original drawing would have been made on the 1st April 1839 as writing in his journal Roberts said 'Having got horses, left for Jericho, taking with me my portmanteau, tent, and servant. Crossing the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and ascending the Mount of Olives, we passed close to Bethany, the principal object in which is a building like a sheikh's tomb, called the House of Lazarus.' [1]
'The governor of Jerusalem, above and beyond his kind welcome to David Roberts and companions, told the artist that within a few days he would personally be escorting a caravan of Christian pilgrims to the banks of the Jordan, and he invited Roberts to come along. The governor offered to give Roberts mounts and a few armed guards, against all events. The trip was to take no more than a week, and in the meanwhile, they could visit the shores of the Dead Sea, Jericho, Bethlehem, and the famous cliff convent of St. Saba. Roberts happily accepted the invitation and began to prepare for departure. The caravan set out on the first of April in the early morning hours; after crossing the Valley of Jehoshaphat and climbing the slopes of the Mount of Olives, they were soon in sight of the village of Bethany, which is just less than two miles from Jerusalem.
At the centre of this view, drawn from high atop the Mount of Olives, it is possible to recognise the Mosque of Omar, while to the left is the Mosque of El Aksa. The depression which begins at the foot of the hill, crossed by the small stream of the Kidron, is the Valley of Jehoshaphat, in which it is possible to make out the white tip of the tomb of Absalom.' [2]
The drawings and watercolours from this tour by David Roberts of the Holy Land and Egypt were collated together into folios and released over a seven year period by the publisher F.G. Moon from 20 Threadneedle Street London. This lithograph is an original First Edition version published on the 1st July 1841.
Medium: Original First Edition Lithograph, with later hand-colouring on thick woven paper.
Full Plate 18.
Inscribed l.l. 'Jerusalem april 5th 1839', 32 x 48.5cm (picture size), framed.
Provenance: Storey's Ltd, Fine Rare Antique Prints & Maps dealer, 3 Cecil Court London (label verso).
References:
[1] David Roberts Journal, 1st April 1839.
[2] Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: The Holy Land. Swan Hill Press: London, 1997, p.137. Translated by Antony Shugaar.
Condition report: the lithograph is generally in good condition for its age. Small areas of scattered foxing (particularly in the margins) and time staining. Please see photographs. Frame shows some wear.