Edward Lear

With the Fine Art Society, London, 1973;

private collection, London

with Guy Peppiatt Fine Art, London, by 2008,

by whom sold to the present owner

Lear had long wanted to see Jerusalem and although he made plans to make the journey there in both 1849 and 1854, it was not until the end of March 1858 that he finally reached the great city. Easter that year was on 4 April and, although he wrote enthusiastically about what he saw - 'every step brings fresh beauty to the city' - he found the crowds oppressive.¹ As a result, on 2 April he decided to set off for Petra, via Hebron, with the intention of returning to Jerusalem at a later date. Indeed, he was back in the city by 20 April and was to remain there for almost two weeks creating on-the-spot drawings such as the present lot.

^1. V. Noakes, Edward Lear 1812-1888, London 1985, p. 149