Lot Essay
Lear arrived in Athens from the Ionian Islands at the beginning of a tour of mainland Greece on 2 June 1848 and stayed there until 13 June. A letter to his sister Ann, written on 3 June, conveys his excitement; even the address at the top is followed by three exclamation marks (V. Noakes, ed., Edward Lear: Selected Letters, 1988, p.73). He first visited the Acropolis on the 4th but clearly, as shown by the dates on this drawing, paid many further visits during his stay. This view shows the path up to the Acropolis with the Frankish Tower erected by Nerio Acciaioli at the end of the 14th Century and demolished, at the expense of Schliemann, in 1875 (see the general views of the Acropolis by Raffaello Ceccoli, circa 1850, and William Page, circa 1820, reproduced in F.M. Tsigakou, The Rediscovery of Greece, 1981, pls.25 and 27). A more distant view of the Acropolis, dated 'June 5-6-7-1848', was sold in these Rooms on 16 November 1965, lot 10, illustrated (450gns.).