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Description

A fine mid-19th century lithographed view of Jerusalem, taken from the Mount of Olives.

This attractive view captures the entire old city of Jerusalem, sacred to all three of the Abrahamic faiths. The densely populated city occupied only 1 square mile, and was home to 20,000 inhabitants, encirled by walls rebuilt by Sultan Suleiman the Great. The cityscape is dominated by the Temple Mount, the former site of the Beit Ha Mikdash (The Jewish Second Great Temple of Jerusalem), on top of which is the famous golden dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

While Jersusalem had always occupied a prominent place in European visual cutlure, it was only by the mid-19th century that Westerners could securely visit the city. The Ottoman Empire, which controlled the region, had then relaxed travel restrictions on foreigners, spurring numerous artisits and writers to visit the holy city. This coincided with the first generation of photography and the great era of lithography.

The present print is based on a photograph taken by Ermete Pierotti, transferred to stone by Thomas Pitken. It appeared within Thomas George Bonney's book, Jerusalem explored, being a description of the ancient and modern city (2 vols., London, 1864).

Condition Description
Chromolithographed view, with two horizontal folds as issued.