Lot Essay
Roberts was at Petra during his Middle Eastern tour, from 6 to 12 March 1839, and this watercolour was one of a number of views made there to be lithographed for Louis Haghe, for the first volume of Roberts' magnificent publication, The Holy Land, Syria, Idumen, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia, published in five volumes, 1847-9. This publication was first printed in parts, and subsequently in bound volumes. The copy consulted in connection with this entry is that in the British Library. This watercolour is illustrated as a half-page (N. Ran, ed., David Roberts R.A.: The Holy Land, 1982, 2nd ed. 1989, p.IV-44, pl.91).
The Reverend George Croly, whose text accompanies Roberts' illustrations, described the site of this drawing as follows: 'The first object which meets the eye in the approach to Petra is a range of red sandstone cliffs, apparently impenetrable; but the brook which flows into the centre of the City passes through a narrow cleft, hidden behind a projection of the road. Here is the opening of the extraordinary chasm, which anciently formed the only avenue to the City on this side. This is the Site of Wady Mousa (the Valley of Moses).
'The whole chasm exhibits the traces of a people lavish of ornament. A few steps beyond the entrance, a light and lofty arch crosses it, with niches sculptured in the rock beneath, probably once intended for the reception of statues...
'Petra, though deserted, is not untrodden; a rude and infrequent traffic passes through it still; and it happened, that while the Artist was employed on this sketch, a caravan from Gaza, consisting of forty camels on their way to Máan, on the Damascus road, passed through the ravine'.
The Reverend George Croly, whose text accompanies Roberts' illustrations, described the site of this drawing as follows: 'The first object which meets the eye in the approach to Petra is a range of red sandstone cliffs, apparently impenetrable; but the brook which flows into the centre of the City passes through a narrow cleft, hidden behind a projection of the road. Here is the opening of the extraordinary chasm, which anciently formed the only avenue to the City on this side. This is the Site of Wady Mousa (the Valley of Moses).
'The whole chasm exhibits the traces of a people lavish of ornament. A few steps beyond the entrance, a light and lofty arch crosses it, with niches sculptured in the rock beneath, probably once intended for the reception of statues...
'Petra, though deserted, is not untrodden; a rude and infrequent traffic passes through it still; and it happened, that while the Artist was employed on this sketch, a caravan from Gaza, consisting of forty camels on their way to Máan, on the Damascus road, passed through the ravine'.