Artist: Sir Augustus Wall Callcott (1779–1844), after a sketch by Sir Charles Barry (1795–1860)
Engraver: Edward Francis Finden (1791–1857)
Technique: Original Antique Steel Engraving, Plate forty six
Dimensions: Plate: 10.0x14.0 cm | Page: 15.5x23.4 cm
Status: Authentic 1835 print, explicit text attribution on the lower plate border
Publisher: John Murray, London (Sold also by Charles Tilt)
About the Artwork:
This authentic antique steel engraving, published in 1835, presents a historic panoramic vista of Damascus, Syria, framed through a massive, prominent stone architectural archway. The landscape carries profound biblical significance, quoting the prophetic verse from the Book of Amos chapter one, verse five: "I will break also the bar of Damascus". The composition was executed by the celebrated British Romantic landscape painter Sir Augustus Wall Callcott, who developed an on-the-spot field sketch by the iconic English architect Sir Charles Barry. Engraved onto steel with masterfully balanced light and shadow by Edward Finden, the print reveals the sprawling city of Damascus in the distance, showcasing its characteristic domes, minarets, and dense surrounding orchards. In the shaded left foreground beneath the stone arch, regional figures in traditional Ottoman-era attire are depicted resting, smoking a hookah, and conversing alongside a traveler on horseback. This plate originates from the publication Landscape Illustrations of the Bible.
About the Artists:
Sir Augustus Wall Callcott (1779–1844): A highly esteemed English landscape painter and Royal Academician, nicknamed the "English Claude" for his serene, light-filled compositions and classical atmospheric quality.
Sir Charles Barry (1795–1860): The iconic British architect best known for designing the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament) in London, whose early travels across the Levant yielded precise field studies of ancient and historic sites.
Edward Finden (1791–1857): A master London line engraver who, alongside his brother William, achieved immense success produci