Artist: William Brockedon (1787–1854), after a sketch by Reverend Francis Vyvyan Jago Arundell (1780–1846)
Engraver: William Finden (1787–1852)
Technique: Original Antique Steel Engraving
Dimensions: 15x23 cm
Status: Authentic 1836 print, explicit text attribution on the lower plate border
Publisher: John Murray, London (Sold also by Charles Tilt)
About the Artwork:
This authentic 1836 steel engraving presents a sweeping panoramic view of Laodicea on the Lycus (modern-day Turkey), historically celebrated as one of the Seven Churches of Asia from the Book of Revelation. The composition was drafted by British artist William Brockedon, translating an accurate on-the-spot field sketch by the traveler and antiquarian Reverend F. J. Arundell. Engraved by William Finden, the print illustrates a rolling landscape with distant mountains, ancient structural ruins including a prominent aqueduct in the background, and scattered modern settlement houses. The foreground features a detailed nomadic encampment with tents, regional figures resting, and two large palm trees anchoring the center. This plate is sourced from Landscape Illustrations of the Bible compiled by Thomas Hartwell Horne and the Finden brothers.
About the Artists:
William Brockedon (1787–1854): An elite English painter, author, and illustrator known for his topographical accuracy and travel-based landscapes.
Rev. F. V. J. Arundell (1780–1846): A British antiquarian and chaplain at Smyrna who explored and systematically mapped the historic sites of Asia Minor.
William Finden (1787–1852): A master London line engraver who co-directed the production of the finest mid-19th-century steel-plate biblical illustrations.