Bidspirit auction | David Roberts – ”The Holy

David Roberts – ”The Holy Land” – Folio Edition – London, 1842-1849 – 124 Lithographs - The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, & Nubia. From Drawings Made on the Spot by David Roberts. London: F.G. Moon, 1842-1849. Three parts in three volumes. Standard folio edition of David Roberts' monumental work, ”The Holy Land”, with 124 lithographs. The lithographs, after Roberts' drawings, depict buildings, cities, landscapes and holy sites throughout Palestine and the Middle East, documenting Roberts' travels in the region. The work was first printed between 1842 and 1849. Initially, in the years 1842-1845, the first three parts were printed in 20 installments, with lithographed title pages for the first and second parts only. Later, the lithographed title page for the third part and a map were printed, as well as the three additional parts of the work. Complete set, in three volumes, of the first three parts, comprising 124 lithographic prints, including a portrait of Roberts and lithographed title pages for all three parts (some of the prints were executed on separate plates and some are incorporated in the text), as well as an engraved map. David Roberts' views of the Holy Land are considered one of the pinnacles of 19th-century lithographic printing. The drawings were made during Roberts' journey to the Near East in 1839-1840, accompanied by armed guards in a camel caravan (some of the attendants served Roberts as figures in his drawings). The lithographic plates were prepared after the drawings by several important lithographic artists, including Louis Haghe, and their production took nearly ten years under Roberts' supervision. The views were eventually printed in two editions – one regular and one hand-colored – and became one of the most celebrated printing enterprises of the 19th century. In order to finance the printing, over 600 subscribers were enlisted in advance – European nobility and rulers, including Queen Victoria, the Archbishops of York and Canterbury, the Emperor of Austria, the Russian Czar, the Kings of France and Prussia, and others. In view of the edition's success, a quarto edition was printed a few years later and offered at a lower price. The present set comprises all the plates from the first three parts of the work, including the lithographed title page for the third part and an engraved map, as well as the text leaves and list of plates. Vol. I: [44] lithographic plates, [4] leaves, 30 pages. Vol. II: [43] lithographic plates. Vol. III: [2] pages, [38] plates. 61.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor worming. Wear and minor blemishes to bindings.