Untitled

c. 1857

Alexander Svoboda

Associated Names
Alexander Svoboda

Artist, Russian, 1826 - 1896

James Robertson

Related Artist, British, 1813 - 1888

Felice Beato

Related Artist, British, born Venice, 1832 - 1909

Antonio Beato

Related Artist, British, born Corfu (?), after 1832 - 1906

The image shows ancient ruins in a rocky and grassy terrain. Stone fragments and blocks are scattered on the ground, leading towards larger stone structures in the middle distance. Some blocks are upright while others are tumbled. Barren hills rise in the background, blending into a hazy sky. The horizon aligns with the hilltops. The color palette is sepia-toned, giving an aged look. The stonework and landscape details are clear and well-defined.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    salted paper print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Michael and Jane Wilson

  • Dimensions

    image: 19.3 × 26.2 cm (7 5/8 × 10 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2012.137.5.8

  • Volume Title

    Views in Jerusalem and Athens

Associated Artworks

See all 17 artworks

[[PLACEHOLDER ARTWORK]]

This is a photograph of an old stone building with intricate architectural details. The image shows a section of the historic structure with robust stone masonry. The walls are made of large, roughly-hewn stones, and the facade includes various architectural elements like arched doorways and windows with latticework. The structure features columns supporting part of the building, along with carved moldings and stripes around a large arched entrance. A small dome is visible above one section of the building. The stone's texture suggests weathering and age, giving the structure a historical look. Light and shadow play on the stone surface, enhancing the image.

Porch of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

James Robertson, Felice Beato, Antonio Beato

1857

The image displays a historic cityscape with an elevated viewpoint, possibly from a rooftop or higher vantage point. The horizon is seen at the upper part of the composition, showing a transition from the urban environment to rolling hills in the distance. The skyline on the horizon has variations in elevation with a large domed structure at the center and a smaller minaret to its left. The image features a monochromatic palette emphasizing stone and earthy tones of the historic buildings. The urban area near the viewer is filled with stone buildings and ruins, some of which are partially collapsed. Towards the distant hills, there are scattered trees leading to the central dome and surrounding historical architecture.

Western Wall and Omar Mosque, Jerusalem

James Robertson, Felice Beato, Antonio Beato

1857

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(sale, Sotheby's, London, 08 May 1992, lot 19, as Sebastopol and Balaclava, Greece and Jerusalem. An album containing Twenty Four Photographs, 1850s); Michael and Jane Wilson, Wilson Centre for Photography, London, acquired 1992; gift to NGA, 2012.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

signed by artist, lower right in ink: A Svoboda / photo; on verso, by unknown hand, center left in graphite: 244; center: 214

Wikidata ID

Q64155495

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