ROBERTS, DAVID.

This monumental series of views of ancient sites in the Near and Middle East created by British artist David Roberts work was one of the most important and elaborate ventures of 19th-century publishing, and the apotheosis of the tinted lithograph. Roberts’s intent was to produce lithographs based on his watercolor sketches for sale to the public. Belgian engraver Louis Haghe produced a total of 248 lithographs based on this later series of watercolors, which were published monthly in sets of six, to form two series; The Holy Land (1842-5) and Egypt and Nubia (1846-9). These were a commercial success, and in 1855-6, Day & Son published the entire series together in six volumes. Roberts published the results of his travels between 1842 and 1849 in six large format volumes, to great critical and popular acclaim. The success of the folio issue was sufficient to persuade Day & Son to take on the publication of the present quarto edition.