Artist: Thomas Allom (1804–1872)
Engraver: William Radclyffe (1783–1855)
Technique: Original Antique Steel Engraving
Dimensions: Plate: 12.7x19.2 cm | Page: 19.9x26.8 cm
Status: Authentic print published between eighteen thirty six and eighteen thirty eight, explicit text attributions on the lower border
Publisher: Fisher, Son & Co., London & Paris
About the Artwork:
This authentic antique steel engraving, published circa 1836, captures a masterfully detailed and atmospheric interior view titled Chapel at Bethlehem (Interior of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Holy Land). Meticulously drawn from nature by the celebrated British architectural artist Thomas Allom, the composition showcases the grand early Christian basilica's nave, lined with double rows of massive, majestic Corinthian stone columns supporting a heavy open timber roof. The spatial depth is enhanced by a large, central metal chandelier hanging over the stone-flagged floor. The sacred interior is animated with high ethnographic detail, depicting regional pilgrims and local Syrian and Arab worshippers in traditional drapery kneeling in deep prayer, alongside Ottoman-garbed figures standing and conversing in small groups. Engraved onto steel with exceptional fine-line precision and dramatic play of light and shadow by William Radclyffe, this print is a prized masterpiece of nineteenth-century Holy Land iconography.
About the Artists:
Thomas Allom (1804–1872): A distinguished English architect, topographical illustrator, and a royal institute co-founder, world-renowned for his high-fidelity, masterfully composed architectural and near-eastern travel scenes.
William Radclyffe (1783–1855): A premier English line and landscape engraver in Birmingham, highly celebrated for his exceptional ability to capture intricate interior perspectives and delicate textures on steel plates.