Plate 241 The Nilometere on the Isle of Rhoda - After David Roberts
Roberts drew this composition on either the 22nd January 1839.
'Although he was engrossed in his drawing, Roberts did not neglect the complex organisation required for his imminent journey to the Holy Land. A few days earlier he had reached an agreement with the vice-consul, Mr. Walne, for the supply of four camels with which he intended to travel to Syria, and on the morning of the 21st [January], after packing up works he had completed so far, he awaited their arrival to conclude the deal. However, the vice-consul brought bad news, all the more shocking because it was totally unexpected rumour had it that plague had been raging in Jerusalem for three months. A cordon sanitaire had been erected around the city, which meant that if Roberts tried to enter it, he would be placed in quarantine. As he admitted in his journal, 'a journey to the Holy Land without seeing Jerusalem would be like visiting England without seeing London.' This bad news upset him, but Colonel Campbell suggested that he should make no decision at least until the 24th, when he expected to receive reliable information as to how serious the situation really was.
While he waited, Roberts recommenced his explorations, and the next day he returned to the Isle of Rhoda to draw the Nilometer. The adventure proved riskier than expected, as the structured had been converted into a powder magazine, and access was prohibited to all except the guards. Despite the risk of stopping a bullet or having a bad fall, Roberts was determined to complete the task he had set himself. He therefore scaled the outer wall of the structure and from the top hurriedly sketched a study of it, which he completed when he was safe and sound again.
Erected circa 715 by the Omayyid Caliphs, who had come from Arabia as conquerors during the 7th century, the Nilometer was similar in concept to those built all over Egypt by the pharaohs, and performed the same task of measuring the level of the river so that the amount of taxes could be adjusted accordingly. The structure that now survives was built in 861 by Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakkil. This Nilometer, which is quite sophisticated in design, works on the principle of communicating vessels; the graduated central column is surmounted by a Corinthian capital, and the Kufic inscriptions on the walls are the oldest known in Egypt. The wooden dome was added during a modern restoration.' [1]
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 was published on September 1st 1849.
Medium: Original First Edition Lithograph, with later hand-colouring on thick woven paper.
Half Plate 241.
Inscribed l.r. 'David Roberts R.A. L Haghe Lith' and l.l. 'The Kilometre Island of Rhoda', 35.3 x 25.1cm (lithograph size), mounted (50.9 x 40.1cm).
The original title is visible through a cut out on the mount 'The Nilometer on the Island of Rhoda, Cairo' and the original text from the publication in 1849 is included attached to the back of the mount.
References:
[1] Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: Egypt. Swan Hill Press: London, 1996, p.265. Translated by A.B.A. Milano.
Condition report: very good for its age. A few small markings, please see photos. Recently put into a new acid free mount.