Approach to Petra, an Ancient Watch Tower Commanding the Valley of El Chor - David Roberts
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed watercolour study by David Roberts, capturing the dramatic sandstone formations and desert travellers near the ancient city of Petra in 1839.
David Roberts, a Scottish painter known for his meticulous documentation of architectural sites, produced this work during his extensive travels through the Near East in the late 1830s. The composition captures the dramatic geological formations near Petra, specifically focusing on a prominent sandstone outcrop that dominates the arid horizon. Roberts employs a precise technique, using graphite underdrawing to establish the structural integrity of the rock face before applying washes of watercolour to suggest the sun-bleached tones of the desert.
In the foreground, the artist includes a small caravan of camels and figures, which provides a sense of scale against the massive, weathered stone. These human elements are rendered with careful attention to costume and posture, typical of the observational style Roberts maintained throughout his career. The work reflects the nineteenth-century fascination with the geography and history of the Levant, presenting a view that is both scientifically observant and aesthetically composed.
The palette remains largely restricted to earthy ochres, soft browns, and muted greys, mirroring the natural environment of the region. By balancing the monumental scale of the geological feature with the transient presence of the travellers, Roberts creates a narrative of exploration and discovery. This piece is part of the extensive series of sketches and finished watercolours that were later lithographed for his publication, 'The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia'. The clarity of the light and the sharpness of the shadows demonstrate his ability to translate the harsh conditions of the desert into a refined visual record. This print offers a window into the mid-nineteenth-century European perspective on the Middle East, documenting a site that was then relatively inaccessible to the public.
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Specific Features
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Approach to Petra, an Ancient Watch Tower Commanding the Valley of El Chor - David Roberts
Artist Biography
David Roberts
In 1838 he sailed for Egypt and spent the next two years travelling through the Middle East, filling sketchbooks with drawings of temples, mosques, ruins and desert landscapes that almost no British artist had recorded before. To enter the mosques he had to shave off his sideburns, leave his hog-hair brushes behind (the pig being unclean), and wear traditional Arab clothing while he worked. He was one of the first Europeans allowed to paint inside a mosque.
The sketches became The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia, a series of 247 lithograph plates produced in collaboration with the printer Louis Haghe between 1842 and 1849. He funded the project through advance subscriptions, soliciting them personally. Queen Victoria was subscriber number one. Her complete set is still in the Royal Collection.
The lithographs gave Europeans their first detailed visual record of the ancient Near East. They were bought as art, used as reference by scholars, and shaped the Western imagination of Egypt and Palestine for the rest of the century.
His personal life was less composed. His wife Margaret became an alcoholic and in 1831 he sent her back to Scotland to be cared for by friends. He raised their daughter Christine largely alone. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1841, a considerable achievement for a man who had started painting houses, and worked steadily until his death in 1864.
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