The southern end of the Dead Sea

Details

Edward Lear (London 1812-1888 San Remo)
The southern end of the Dead Sea
signed with monogram (lower right)
pencil and watercolour
4 x 7 7/8 in. (10.2 x 20 cm.)

Provenance

with Spink, London.
Thomas T. Solley; Christie's, London, 16 November 2006, lot 120, where purchased by the present owner.

Sale Room Notice

Please note that the present lot depicts Masada, the fortress town discussed by Josephus as the last stronghold of the Jews against the Romans, seen from across the Dead Sea.

Brought to you by

Harriet West

hwest@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2541

Lot Essay

By 1858 Lear was a seasoned traveller, having journeyed extensively through Italy, Greece, Turkey, Albania and Egypt. He had tried to visit the Holy Land on two previous occasions, both of which had to be abandoned, so his trip in the spring of 1858, was his first visit to the region and he arrived in Jerusalem during Holy Week (for another drawing from this trip see lot 104). Because of the 'hubbub' he decided to move on and visit the rest of the area, before returning to Jerusalem when the city was quieter. He left Jerusalem on 2nd April travelling south to Bethlehem and Hebron and then on to Petra and the Dead Sea, through some of the hottest driest regions on earth.

A larger watercolour of this subject is in the Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

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