David Roberts (October 24, 1796 - November 25, 1864) was a Scottish painter known for his detailed and romanticized depictions of landscapes and architectural scenes. Born in Edinburgh, Roberts apprenticed under a house painter and interior designer but began to study art on his own in his free time. He began painting stage scenes for traveling circuses and continued painting houses, trying his hand at landscapes in the evenings. In 1819, Roberts became the stage painter at the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh. In 1822, he moved to London to continue his work in stage painting, but began producing more 'serious' art, and gained some recognition as a gifted painter. In 1833, he travelled to Spain, a trip that resulted in a series of lithographs that were well received. But Roberts became most famous for his series of lithographs titled The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, published between 1842 and 1849, based on sketches made during his travels in those lands between 1838 and 1840. The prints made Roberts one of the foremost painters in the 'Orientalist school' in Britain. Following this crowning achievement of his career, Roberts produced a series of views of Italy in the 1850s, and of scenes of London in the last years of his life. More by this mapmaker...

Day and Haghe (1830 - 1852) was a British lithograph firm founded in 1830 by Louis Haghe (March 17, 1806 - March 9, 1885) and William Day (1797 - 1845). Louis Haghe was born in Tournai, Belgium, the son and grandson of prominent Belgian architects. Haghe had a fondness for watercolor painting and turned his attention to the nascent art of lithography. He set up his first lithographic press in Tournai, but did not truly prosper until he moved to London in 1823. There, in 1830, he partnered with William Day to found 'Day and Haghe.' Day and Haghe engraved and printed lithographs detailing hunting scenes, architecture, topographical views, genre depictions, city views, and more. They pioneered the new techniques for chromolithography as well as issuing hand-tinted lithographs. In 1837, Day and Haghe became the only lithographers to receive the prestigious Royal Warrant wherein they were appointed 'Lithographers to the Queen'. The firm is most famous for producing the 250 images for David Roberts' The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, 1842 - 1849. Although Haghe remained with the company, as early as the 1840, he left most of the management to Day. When William Day died in 1845, the firm's management fell to his son, William Day Jr. Haghe formally left the firm to persue art in 1852, after which the imprint changed to 'Day and Son.' Day and Son went into liquidation in 1867 and was acquired by Vincent Brooks (1815 - 1885). Brooks owned the firm outright, but kept the prestigious Day name, publishing under the imprint of 'Vincent Brooks, Day and Son' until the firm went defunct in 1940. Learn More...