Artwork
Banks of the Jordan
Banks of the Jordan is a print by the Romanticist artist David Roberts. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1927.78
About this work
Overview
Banks of the Jordan is a print produced in 1839 by Scottish artist David Roberts. It captures a lively riverside scene along the Jordan, populated by numerous figures engaged in various activities. The composition balances a crowded foreground with distant cliffs and sparse vegetation, rendered in a restrained palette punctuated by vivid reds and blues in the clothing.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a bustling gathering on the banks of the Jordan River, suggesting a moment of communal interaction perhaps linked to pilgrimage or local commerce. The juxtaposition of intimate human detail against a broader, tranquil landscape invites contemplation of the relationship between people and the natural environment in the Near East.
Technique & Style
Roberts employs a graduated focus, rendering the near figures with crisp line work while allowing the far cliffs to dissolve into a soft, atmospheric haze. This manipulation of clarity creates depth and aligns with Romantic sensibilities, emphasizing the emotive power of landscape and the fleeting quality of light.
History & Provenance
The print emerges from Roberts’s extensive travels through Egypt and the Levant, a period that also yielded a celebrated series of lithographs and oil paintings. His detailed Oriental subjects contributed to his election as a Royal Academician in 1841, recognizing his role in expanding British visual knowledge of the region.
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Artist & collection
Artist
David Roberts (24 October 1796 – 25 November 1864) was a Scottish painter. He is especially known for The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, a prolific series of detailed lithograph prints of Egypt and…
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