Plate 83 Portion of the Eastern Portico, Baalbec - After David Roberts

'The origins and earliest history of Baalbec are lost in obscurity.' (1). However, there is clearly a link to the god Baal, and Baalbec simply means 'City of Baal'. The town was eventually known as Heliopolis during Hellenistic times. Roberts was particularly impressed with the architecture on display saying 'have begun my studies of the temple, of the magnificence of which it is impossible to convey ay idea, either by pencil or pen. The beauty of its form, the exquisite richness of its ornament, and the vast magnitude of its dimensions, are altogether unparalleled.' (2)
 
To the south of the Great Temple that Roberts mentioned above is the Small Temple, which is also said to be a temple of Bacchus. It consists of eight columns on each facade, with fifteen columns on the longer sides in an elongated design. The building itself dates from the middle of the second century A.D. and was likely dedicated to Mercury, which was the Roman personification of Shamash which was a local deity. (3) Roberts spent four days drawing all of the enchanting architecture of the Corinthian craftsmen.
 
The drawings and watercolours from this tour by David Roberts of the Holy Land and Egypt were collated together into folios and released over a seven year period by the publisher F.G. Moon from 20 Threadneedle Street London. This lithograph is an original First Edition version (1842-1849) and was published on 1st December 1843.
 
Medium: Original First Edition Lithograph, with hand-colouring on thick woven paper.
 
Full Plate 83.
 
Inscribed l.l. 'Ruins of the Eastern Portico of the Temple of Baalbec, May 6th 1839, David Roberts R.A.', 35 x 50.1 cm (lithograph size), framed.
 
Provenance: Robert Frew Ltd (Antiquarian Books, Maps & Prints), London.
 
References:
 
(1) Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: The Holy Land. Swan Hill Press: London, 1997, p.262. Translated by Antony Shugaar.
 
(2) David Roberts' Egyptian and Holy Land Journal, 4th May 1839.
 
(3) Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: The Holy Land. Swan Hill Press: London, 1997, p.268. Translated by Antony Shugaar.