View Jerusalem, Signed (3 results)

[Die vierteilige Trägerpappe verso mit Leinwand verbunden, etwas stockfleckig, die Trägerpappe am äußeren rechten Rand mit zwei Einrißen, an den äußeren Rändern der Trägerpappe etwas gebräunt, vgl. Abbildung]. Panoramic View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Albumen print, mounted, printed title in German and French beneath image, numbered 100 and signed in plate ("W. Hammerschmidt"). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------- BITTE BEACHTEN: Auf Grund der absurden und irrsinnig teuren staatlichen Regelungen für die Entsorgung der Versandpappen in den nachfolgenden Ländern, kann ich leider nicht mehr liefern nach: Österreich, Griechenland, Polen. Kunden in ÖSTERREICH können sich aber an die einheimische Post wenden, dort unter Alles Post Deutschland. --- PLEASE NOTE: Due to the absurd and insanely expensive government regulations for the disposal of shipping cartons in the following countries, I can unfortunately no longer deliver to: Austria, Greece, Poland. However, customers in AUSTRIA can contact their local post office, there under Alles Post Deutschland.

C. 280 x 180 mm. Pencil and opaque white on brown paper, signed at bottom left: "Rainer | May 1844", captioned at right: "Jerusalem gesehen vom Tempel des Salomon". Matted. Depicts the south-western corner of the Temple Mount (with Dome of the Rock, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and hinting at the recently rediscovered Robinson's Arch). Archduke Rainer, one of the most eminent figures during the rule of Emperor Franz Josef, also was a talented landscape painter and lithographer (cf. Fuchs II, 37). Although he served in political functions (he was Austria's first constitutional Minister-President from 1861 to 1865), his heart always belonged to the arts and sciences. An honorary member of the Imperial and Royal Academy of Sciences, the variously talented Archduke was one of the Habsburg family's most remarkable collectors: his Viennese library encompassed some 40,000 volumes (not counting the inherited library in Hernstein Castle), and the "El Fayum" papyrus collection acquired by him, containing a treasure of 180,000 papyri now stored in the National Library, is regarded as "the greatest of its kind in the world" (Unesco, Memory of the world, Nominated Documentary Heritage). - Rainer, son of the brother of Emperor Franz, spent his youth under the tutelage of his artistically inclined parents and excellent teachers, and it was common for the young Austrian Archdukes in the first half of the 19th century to be instructed in draughtsmanship by the great Chamber painters of the time. The Holy Land was not an uncommon station on the tour of contemporary Chamber painters: Eduard Gurk even died there in 1841 on a study tour. - The quality of the present illustration clearly surpasses that of Rainer's known student drawings (two, dated 1839, are preserved at the National Library, Bildarchiv und Fideikommissbibliothek, PK 3050 2 and 3). The mature talent of the Archduke, only seventeen years old in 1844, is especially evident in comparison with the works of other members of the Imperial family, many of which also dabbled in landscape painting (their works are preserved in the so-called Dilettante cassettes in the Albertina).

The print is signed by the artist "S. Mynde sc." in the lower right corner. This suggests that the maker of the print is Samuel Mynde, a known engraver from the 18th century. His works often included engravings for books, maps, and prints, contributing to the dissemination of geographical and historical knowledge during that time. The signature "sc" stands for "sculpsit," a Latin term meaning "engraved by." This evocative print, titled **"A General View of Jerusalem in the Early Part of the 18th Century" (circa 1752)**, offers a captivating glimpse into the rich history and complex layering of the ancient city of Jerusalem during a pivotal period in its storied past. The image, produced around 1752, presents a panoramic scene of the city as it appeared before the significant transformations that were to take place in the following centuries. Nestled amidst the undulating hills of the Judean Mountains, Jerusalem's iconic silhouette is dominated by the golden-hued Dome of the Rock, a revered Islamic shrine, and the adjacent Al-Aqsa Mosque, both of which are surrounded by the sprawling Temple Mount complex. The Old City walls, encircling the historic core, are visible in the foreground, their fortified gates providing entry to the various quarters ? Christian, Armenian, Jewish, and Muslim ? that housed the diverse communities living within the city's confines. The print also reveals the bustling activity of the city's markets and streets, with merchants and traders haggling over goods, and the daily life of the residents unfolding amidst the vibrant urban landscape. The verdant gardens and orchards that once dotted the city's outskirts are also evident, adding to the picture of a thriving, cosmopolitan center. The early 18th century was a time of relative peace and prosperity for Jerusalem, which served as an important crossroads for trade and pilgrimage. However, this tranquility would soon be disrupted by the political and religious tensions that would shape the city's destiny for centuries to come. This print serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring allure and complex history of Jerusalem, a city that continues to captivate and inspire generations. More research to be done on the source.