Plate 30 Convent of the Terra Santa, Nazareth - After David Roberts
Roberts did not write very much about his time in Nazareth but wrote on the 19th April that 'we were kindly received by the superior of the Latin convent, which is conspicuously situated.' [1] Then on the following day the artist continued saying that he 'made two coloured drawings of the chapel, one of the Grotto or Chapel of the Annunciation, and two views of the town. Several objects of interest are pointed out to the pilgrim: - the workshop of Joseph, the stone on which Christ sat with his disciples, and the fountain to which the Virgin went for water.' [2] Roberts and his group left Nazareth on Sunday 21st and made their way to Cana in Galilee.
'In this illustration by Roberts, Nazareth appears as a tiny cluster of houses, dominated by the minaret of a mosque, and by the bulk of the Franciscan convent; the latter, built around 1632 on the foundations of an earlier church, and then partially fortified a century later, had just been restored and enjoyed a certain wealth. Nowadays, Nazareth is a sort of Christian enclave within the borders of Galilee, with a sizable Arab population.' [3]
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 June 1844.
Medium: Original First Edition Lithograph, with later hand-colouring on thick woven paper.
Full Plate 30.
Inscribed l.l. 'Convent of the Terra-Santa, Nazareth april 21st 1839' and lower centre 'David Roberts R.A.', 35.5 x 50.7cm, mounted.
References:
[1] David Roberts Journal, 19th April 1839.
[2] Ibid., 20th April 1839.
[3] Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: The Holy Land. Swan Hill Press: London, 1997, p.218. Translated by Antony Shugaar.
Condition report: the lithograph is in very good condition for its age. There are a few time staining marks but none are very obvious. There is a very faint pencil inscription in the bottom left hand corner. Please see photographs.