5391 Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391A Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391B Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391C Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391 Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391A Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391B Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg
5391C Roberts, Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree.jpeg

Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree, Egypt: Original 19th C. Lithograph by D. Roberts

$1,675.00

This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio edition, published in London by F. G. Moon in 1849. The lithographs were prepared by Louis Haghe (1806-1885) from drawings and paintings by Roberts. The resultant large folio editions of 'The Holy Land' and 'Egypt & Nubia' are considered the greatest lithographically illustrated works issued in the 19th century.

Creator: David Roberts (1796-1864, British)

Creation Year: 1848

Dimensions: Height: 16.75 in (42.55 cm)
Width: 23.88 in (60.66 cm)

Medium: Lithograph

Condition: See description below.

Reference #: 5391

This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Interior of the Mosque of the Sultan El Ghoree" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio edition, published in London by F. G. Moon in 1849. The lithographs were prepared by Louis Haghe (1806-1885) from drawings and paintings by Roberts. The resultant large folio editions of 'The Holy Land' and 'Egypt & Nubia' are considered the greatest lithographically illustrated works issued in the 19th century.

Creator: David Roberts (1796-1864, British)

Creation Year: 1848

Dimensions: Height: 16.75 in (42.55 cm)
Width: 23.88 in (60.66 cm)

Medium: Lithograph

Condition: See description below.

Reference #: 5391

This lithograph depicts a striking late-Mamluk religious complex in Islamic Cairo, built in 1503–1505 by Sultan al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri, one of the last Mamluk rulers before the Ottoman conquest. Inside, the mosque is organized around an open courtyard paved in marble. Surrounding it are four vaulted iwans (arched halls), with the qibla iwan, facing Mecca, being the most elaborate. The mihrab (prayer niche) is inlaid with marble and mother-of-pearl, and the ceilings often feature painted wood or carved decoration. Roberts includes several groups of Egyptian men in the traditional dress for the time, standing or sitting around the interior to give perspective and demonstrate cultural norms.

This duotone lithograph is printed on a sheet with wide margins. Overall the sheet measures 16.75" high and 23.88" wide. There is a faint horizontal crease in the upper margin of the sheet which would not be visible behind a mat at framing. The image portion is in excellent condition.

The drawings and watercolors from Roberts' tour of the Holy Land and Egypt were collated together into folios and released over a seven year period by the publisher F.G. Moon from 20 Threadneedle Street London. This lithograph is from the Royal Subscription Edition (1842-1849) with only 500 copies produced per depiction. Louis Haghe (the Belgian engraver and friend of Roberts) worked on all of the lithographs for this series.

David Roberts (1796-1864) was born outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. At age 10 he became a house painter’s apprentice. He continued painting houses and eventually theater scenes in Edinburgh and then in London. His friend, J. M. W. Turner, recognized his artistic talent and encouraged him to become a full-time artist.

In 1839 Roberts traveled to Egypt and then in 1840, through the Holy Land, concluding in Jerusalem. Upon his return to England, F. G. Moon agreed to publish lithographs created by Louis Haghe from Robert’s sketches and watercolors. This publication was highly acclaimed and very popular for its esthetic quality, its historical and topographical accuracy, and Robert’s dramatic depiction of his scenes. Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens were among the subscribers who collected his works. Roberts' and Haghe’s duotone lithographs, often colored, remain extremely sought-after today and have been rising steadily in value.