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This lithograph depicts a small, small local cult shrine or ruined temple structure set within the rocky confines of Wady Kardassy. At the time of Roberts' visit in the 1830's this was a modest stone-built shrine or temple ruin, which was partially collapsed. It had rectangular walls with a simple entrance opening. There were no pylons, colossi, or grand courts, The surrounding desert cliffs and rubble, emphasizing isolation. Nubian men with weapons stand within the structure on the left to impart scale and local context. The structure appears weathered, eroded, and partly buried, suggesting it was already partially abandoned by the time Roberts sketched it in the late 1830s. Such small temples were common along the Nile but rarely survived intact — which is why very few are known archaeologically today. Roberts’s image may be the only visual record of this structure, since it and other similar structures were submerged in Lake Nasser when the Aswan Dam was constructed. It demonstrates Roberts’ role as a preserver of lost archeological sites, not just currently famous monuments.
This duotone lithograph is printed in the upper half of a wove paper sheet with the text description in the lower portion and on the verso. The print is signed in plate in the lower left and titled in the lower right. The sheet has wide margins. The portion of the sheet which includes the image and its margin measures 13.75" high and 16.75" wide. Overall the sheet measures 23.88" high and 16.75" wide. There is minimal discoloration along the upper edge of the sheet on the left and a faint vertical crease in the left margin. None of this would be visible behind a mat at framing. The image and text portions of the print are 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.
