Plate 22 Jerusalem from the North - After David Roberts

This beautiful depiction of the Holy City of Jerusalem was painted by David Roberts on the 13th April 1839. Interestingly, the day before the artist wrote in his journal 'To-day I have wandered over the hills, but have not been able to get a good view of the city.' [1] Fortunately the next day he went a bit further and found this picturesque view. 
 
'During his excursions to the areas surrounding Jerusalem, Roberts had an opportunity to survey the city from a number of different points of view. These views inspired him to draw a number of striking panoramas. This view, in particular, gives us some idea of the exotic allure of the city, which can capture the imagination and spirit of the artist just as well as the ordinary visitor. Rising on the slopes of gentle hills, fragmented geographically and, yet, at the same time, spiritually indivisible, the City of Gold has always been a crossroads between East and West, between world and peoples that are radically different one from another. Many consider Jerusalem to be the very centre of the Universe. The city has the quality of a timeless symbol.' [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 (1842-1849) published on 1st July 1841.
 
Medium: Original First Edition Lithograph, with hand-colouring on thick woven paper.
 
Full Plate 22.
 
Inscribed l.l. 'Jerusalem april 1839', 32 x 48 cm, framed.
 
References:
 
[1] David Roberts Journal.
 
[2] Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: The Holy Land. Swan Hill Press: London, 1997, p.190. Translated by Antony Shugaar.
 
Condition report: generally very good for its age. Please note, there are light reflections in the photographs present on the frame.