A Blog of Bosh

Edward Lear, Hebron, figures and camels, the city beyond, c.1858.
Signed ‘Edward Lear del.’ l.l., inscribed ‘Hebron’ l.r., pen and ink and watercolour heightened with white. 15.4 x 23cm.

Provenance
With Leger Galleries, London, by December 1982.

Edward Lear travelled extensively around Europe, the near east and as far as India. He visited Hebron in April 1858, passing through Bethlehem en route to Petra. In a letter sent to Lady Waldrave on 27 May 1958 from Damascus, Lear discusses various compositional ideas for executing a painting for her. He says of Hebron: “….. there is Hebron, which is very particularly a Hewbrew antiquity, & is besides sufficiently picturesque to form a good picture: though why Abraham choose to live there I cannot think: I found it abominably cold & wet, & besides, they threw stones at me whenever I drew, so that I wished the whole population in Abraham’s bosom or elsewhere 20 times a day.”

The Saleroom.

Edward Lear, Jerusalem.
Inscribed and dated ‘Jerusalem/april.28.1858./(too cold to finish it)’ (lower right) and  variously annotated in pencil pen and brown ink, pencil and sepia wash. 20.6 x 31.1cm (8 1/8 x 12 1/4in).

Provenance
Private collection, UK.

Edward Lear travelled to Jerusalem from Corfu, arriving on 27 March 1858. His diary records his travels outside the walls of the city, ‘We crossed the Kidron and went up the Mount of Olives – every step bringing fresh beauty to the city uprising behind’.1
Lear went on to camp for a week on the Mount of Olives making studies and preparatory drawings, having received a commission from Lady Waldegrave. He worked these up into many successful compositions such as View of Jerusalem 1858 (Tate Britain), and The Valley of Jehosaphat with Jerusalem beyond (sold in these rooms, 21 January 2015, lot 33).
Lear was particularly interested in the light at dawn and evening, the simple colour scheme of gold, green and purple working to excellent effect. He wrote, ‘just at sunrise the view of the city is most lovely…all gold and white beyond the dark fig and olive trees’.2

1 Vivien Noakes, Edward Lear 1812-1888, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1985, p.149.
2 Vivien Noakes, The Painter Edward Lear, David & Charles, London, 1991, p.72.

Bonhams.