1846
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Principal range of tombs is a 1846 watercolor by William Henry Bartlett, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
You see a watercolour painting of ancient tombs in a desert landscape. The painting shows a vast, rocky area with old tombs carved into the stone. This work is interesting because it shows the artist's skill in drawing what he saw on his travels. You can learn more about this style of artwork by looking at the technique of chiaroscuro.
This watercolour by William Henry Bartlett depicts the principal range of tombs at Petra, a Nabataean site in Jordan rediscovered in 1812. Created during his visit in November 1845, the work employs pale washes for the landscape, with ink outlines and denser pigment to highlight figures, as was Bartlett’s typical approach. It was later engraved for his travel account *Forty Days in the Desert*, published in 1848. The image reflects the site’s remote allure and its carved rock tombs, which captivated Western artists and explorers in the 19th century.
Read the full account in the museum source.
William Henry Bartlett (26 March 1809 – 13 September 1854) was a British artist, best known for his numerous drawings rendered into steel engravings.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
