Books

First quarto edition, of the two great three-volume works collectively known as Roberts's Holy Land. Roberts was the first independent, professional British artist to travel so extensively in the Levant. This set is handsomely presented in a vivid contemporary binding. His 1838-9 tour produced 272 sketches, a panorama of Cairo, and three full sketchbooks, enough material to "serve me for the rest of my life" (Eastern Journal). Over the next decade, Roberts made a series of new drawings for the large coloured lithographs executed by Louis Haghe for The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia, which was originally published by subscription from 1842 to 1849. No publication before this had presented so comprehensive a series of views of the monuments, landscape, and people of the Near East. "Roberts's Holy Land was one of the most important and elaborate ventures of nineteenth-century publishing, and it was the apotheosis of the tinted lithograph" (Abbey). Owing to the fact that the original lithographic stones had been deliberately destroyed in December 1853 to prevent the book from being republished in its original form, this quarto edition is not in fact illustrated with true lithographs but by photographic reproductions of the originals at reduced size. Six volumes in 3, quarto (291 x 203 mm). Contemporary red hard-grained morocco, spines with 5 raised bands, compartments richly gilt and lettered direct, gilt decorative panel to covers, board edges ruled in gilt, floral gilt roll to turn-ins, yellow endpapers, gilt edges. With lithographed frontispiece portraits, title pages, and 241 plates, reproduced photographically at smaller size from the original tinted and double-tinted lithographs, as well as 2 chromolithographs (plates 213 and 240), and 2 maps. With tissue guards. Slightly rubbed, a few marks to gilt edges, occasional foxing, plates generally bright. A very good set. Abbey, Travel 388 (vols. I-IV only). Eastern Journal, 28 January, 1839.

David Roberts's 'Egypto & Nubia' captures the essence of ancient civilizations with exquisite artistry and detailed accounts.