1848 David Roberts View of the Great Pyramids of Giza

Last surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

A scarce 1848 David Roberts' dramatic hand-tinted lithographic view of the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt - considered one of his most influential and iconic images. Roberts' work was influential in driving the Orientalism movement in 19th-century Europe.

A Closer Look

The view looks directly north on the Pyramids of Giza, with the Pyramid of Khafre on the left and the larger Pyramid of Khufu (Great Pyramid) on the right. The Great Sphinx is in the midground at right. Parts of the Funerary Temple of the Pyramid of Menkaure (off the sheet to the left) also occupy the midground. In the foreground, Arab admirers of the dramatic sight lounge on a rocky outcrop.

Roberts' Travels in the Middle East

Roberts is best known for his work depicting the landscapes and architecture of the Middle East. His travels to Egypt and the Holy Land in the late 1830s resulted in a series of paintings and lithographs that gained widespread acclaim. He captured iconic sites such as the temples of Abu Simbel, the Pyramids of Giza, and the ruins of Petra. The series of lithographs, published collectively in the multi-volume elephant folio The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, was popular and influential, helping to cement Europeans' imagination of the Middle East.

Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza, located on the Giza Plateau near modern-day Cairo, Egypt, are among the most iconic monuments of the ancient world, built around 2600-2500 BCE during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. The complex consists of three major pyramids: the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), the largest and most renowned; the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren), slightly smaller and accompanied by the Great Sphinx; and the Pyramid of Menkaure, the smallest. Originally covered in smooth white limestone casing stones that reflected the sun, these pyramids served as royal tombs, designed to ensure the pharaohs' journey to the afterlife. Surrounding the main pyramids are smaller pyramids for queens, temples, causeways, and vast cemeteries for officials and workers, and of course, the equally iconic Great Sphinx. The Pyramids of Giza are remarkable for their mathematical precision, massive scale, and engineering sophistication, and are the only surviving monuments in the ancient catalog of the 'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World'.

Publication History and Census

This view was drawn by David Roberts in 1839 and lithographed by Louis Haghe in 1842 as part of the series The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia that was published between 1842 and 1849. The individual view is cataloged with the Library of Congress and the Wellcome Collection, while the entire series is more widely distributed in institutional holdings.

Cartographers

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, Roberts produced a series of views of Italy in the 1850s, and of scenes of London in the last years of his life.   Further Details...

Louis Haghe (March 17, 1806 - March 9, 1885) was a Belgian-born lithographer and painter, celebrated for his pioneering work in the early development of lithography and for his collaboration with renowned artists, most notably David Roberts. Born in Tournai, Belgium, Haghe trained as a draftsman and artist before moving to London in the 1820s, where he became one of the most accomplished lithographers of his era. Along with William Day (1797 - 1845), he co-founded 'Day and Haghe', a leading lithographic firm that gained a royal warrant and became the official lithographer to Queen Victoria. Haghe's most famous work came through his collaboration with Scottish artist David Roberts, for whom he produced exquisitely detailed lithographic plates of Roberts's sketches from his travels in the Middle East and Egypt, published in the monumental series The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia. Haghe's work is admired for its technical precision in capturing architectural detail and atmospheric effects. Later in his career, he turned increasingly to watercolor painting, becoming a prominent member of the Royal Watercolour Society, which he also served as president. He died in Stockwell, London, in 1885.   Further Details...

Francis Graham Moon (F.G. Moon; October 28, 1796 - October 13, 1871) was a London-based British politician, print seller, businessman, and publisher active in the mid-19th century. Born in Holborn, London, to Christopher Moon and Ann Withry, he established himself in the printing trade with shops near the Royal Exchange and became known for publishing works by artists like David Wilkie and David Roberts (1796 - 1864). In 1954, Moon rose to political prominence as Lord Mayor of London. Moon was politically active in the City of London, serving as sheriff, alderman, and eventually receiving a baronetcy in 1855. In civic life, he welcomed distinguished dignitaries -such as the French Emperor Napoleon III - to London and also held leadership roles in livery companies like the Stationers' and Loriners'. Moon died in Brighton but was buried in Fetcham, Surrey.   Further Details...

Source

Roberts, D., The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, (London: F. G. Moon) 1838 - 1848.    

Condition

Excellent.