About this piece
back to topA 19th Century watercolour of the Petra valley.
This highly detailed scene of what is believed to be Petra was captured by an unknown artist in the late 1800s.
Most likely taken after the exploratory works of David Roberts in 1838-9, a different view of the ancient cliffside city shows smattered foliage and overgrown caves in the foreground.
A group of figures surrounds two camels, possibly guides, with more figures into the distance. The view fades into the skyline, showing a hazy morning, obscuring distant temples.
Presented in a gilt frame and a complementary grey mount which draws out the finer pencil details. The unusual square format feels deliberate and reminiscent of large format photographs.
