A Blog of Bosh

Edward Lear, A view of the city of Hebron with camels and figures in the foreground.
Pencil, pen and brown ink and watercolour, heightened with touches of bodycolour on blue/grey paper. 6 x 9 1/8 in. (15.3 x 23.2 cm.)

Christie’s.

Edward Lear, View on Mount Lebanon.
Possibly Mount Sannine titled ‘Lebanon’ lower left and dated ’18 May 1858′, numbered ‘176’ lower left inscribed throughout with colour annotations watercolour and pencil with white heightening 33 x 47.5cm.

Provenance
Acquired in 1938 by Sir Maurice Amos (the grandfather of the present vendor), His sister-in-law, Margaret Bushell (daughter of Colonel Sir Colin Campbell Scott-Moncrieff), Doctor Rachel Bromwich (née Amos, the present vendor’s mother), Thence by descent

In the Spring of 1858, on his way to visiting Petra, Edward Lear travelled through Syria, Palestine and Lebanon – his only visit to the country. After two months in Palestine, Lear arrived in Beirut and wrote to his sister Ann on 14th May: ‘This place…is quite different from anything in southern Palestine – & reminds me more of Naples by its numerous villas & gardens…today I shall make a drawing of Mt. Lebanon [in the distance], & the Bay & town – which are really lovely as a whole.’ Two days before the date of this study, Lear wrote in his diary: ‘Rose late. Very high wind. mountains invisible. In dressing ― without my glasses, took hold of a hornet, which stung my right hand’s middle finger very badly indeed. Happily, [Nartolion] relieved it, but I was unfit for 4 hours ― & could not move my hand or arm. At breakfast Dr. & Mrs. K. ― Afterwards ― later: packed for the Lebanon, ― leaving a chest, & 2 lots of things here. Letters came for Hasbey from Col. Churchill.’ Given Lear was already in Beirut at this time, it is likely that ‘packed for the Lebanon’ reflects his intention to visit the mountain range itself, where he subsequently made the present picture.

Invaluable.