David Roberts, R.A.

Lord Francis Egerton, later 1^st Earl of Ellesmere (1800-1857), purchased from the artist,

The Ellesmere Sale, London, Christie's, 2 April 1870, lot 68, bt Agnew;

with Agnew’s, London,

by whom sold to Thomas Brassey, later 1^st Earl Brassey (1836-1918);

possibly by descent to his son, Thomas, 2^nd Earl Brassey (1863-1919);

with Agnew’s, London, by circa 1976,

D. Burgess;

his sale, London, Christie's, 20 June 1978, lot 153, bt Gregory;

with Martyn Gregory, London,

by whom sold to a Private Collector,

with Martyn Gregory, London, from whom acquired in 1985 by Agnew's on behalf of the parents of the present owners.

Lithographed

by Louis Haghe for The Holy Land, London 1843, vol. II, pl. 69 & London 1855, vol. II, pl. 69 (as General View of Tyre)

London, The Martyn Gregory Gallery, British Watercolours and Drawings, 1978, no. 20;

London, Leighton House, Romantic Lebanon, The European View 1700-1900, 1986, no. 55;

Oxford, The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, on long-term loan, 2015 - 2021  

H.L. Mallalieu, The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists up to 1920, Woodbridge 2002, р. 134 (illustrated) 

This watercolour is striking for its elegance and the simplicity of its composition. Roberts stands on the beach and looks south. Before him are a pair of boats with their sails set at half-mast while, to the right, a smaller vessel has provided a good place for a group of local people to shade from the sun. The beach is also being used by people on horseback who are either making their way to or from the town which can be seen behind, dramatically silhouetted against a bright blue band of pigment that represents the Mediterranean Sea. 

This watercolour was lithographed for The Holy Land series. It was among those acquired directly from the artist by Lord Egerton and it later formed part of Thomas, 1^st Earl Brassey's collection. For further information on both collectors, please see lots 301 and 320. For another view of Tyre and more information on its history, please see the previous lot.