Carl Frederich Heinrich Werner (German, 1808-1894)

The Holy Rock, Jerusalem

Details

Carl Frederich Heinrich Werner (German, 1808-1894)
The Holy Rock, Jerusalem
signed, inscribed and dated 'C. Werner.f. 1866' (lower right)
pencil, pen and brown ink, watercolour and bodycolour, heightened with gum arabic on paper
13 ¾ x 19 7/8 in. (34.9 x 50.5 cm.)

Provenance

Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 24 November 1983, lot 184.
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 27 November 1986, lot 176.
Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 17 November 1994, lot 97.
with Mathaf Gallery, London (inv. no. P.22).
Acquired from the above by the present owner.

Literature

M. Haja and G. Wimmer, Les orientalistes des écoles allemande et autrichienne, Paris, 2000, p. 162 (illustrated).

Brought to you by

Clare Keiller

ckeiller@christies.com +44(0)20 7389 2729

Lot Essay

Carl Werner, who visited Palestine and Egypt between 1862 and 1864 depicts with an accurate rendering the Holy Rock, sacred to both Muslims and Jews and which is located at the centre of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
According to Islamic belief, it is the place from which the Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, is traditionally believed to have ascended into heaven on his horse Buraq.
The Rock is also revered in Jewish tradition as the site where Abraham, the progenitor and first patriarch of the Hebrew people, prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.

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