Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. David Roberts died in 1864; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1934.
In context
El Cairo — David Roberts
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 68 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of David Roberts (1796–1864) every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1837 Main working years: 1837–1853 Late works: from 1853
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/david-roberts-el-cairo-8LHRBC-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Driftwood #d29c5e
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 39.9% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 267 works by this artist, of which 92 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 57 of them, with 0.7% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Stockbridge, United Kingdom
David Roberts (1796-1864) was a Scottish painter celebrated for his detailed Orientalist scenes and meticulous lithographs. His work provides invaluable visual documentation of the Middle East during the 19th century, bridging artistic representation with historical record.
Born on October 24, 1796, in Stockbridge near Edinburgh, Roberts’s early life was marked by practical training. At the age of ten, he began an apprenticeship with house painter and decorator Gavin Beugo. This foundational experience instilled a strong technical skill set, which he supplemented through evening art studies.
His initial professional work included redecorating Scone Palace in 1815. He then transitioned to scene painting for James Bannister’s circus, honing his skills in creating immersive environments. These early experiences laid the groundwork for his later success as a prominent Orientalist painter.
Roberts' artistic development was shaped by a growing fascination with different cultures and landscapes. While initially focused on theatrical scenery, he gradually shifted towards more independent artistic pursuits. His travels to Spain in 1832 were formative, sparking an interest in architectural detail and exotic locales.
However, it was his extensive tours of Egypt and the Near East (1838-1840) that truly defined his career. These journeys provided him with a wealth of sketches and observations which he later translated into his most famous works. His style wasn’t heavily influenced by any single artist, but rather developed from careful observation and technical mastery.
Roberts is best known for The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia – a series of meticulously detailed lithograph prints. These images captured the grandeur of ancient sites and the vibrancy of contemporary life in the region.
Lithographs: His lithographs were widely circulated and became highly influential in shaping European perceptions of the Middle East.
Paintings: He also produced numerous oil paintings, often large-scale works depicting expansive landscapes and architectural marvels.
In 1841, Roberts was elected as a Royal Academician – a significant recognition of his contributions to the art world.
Roberts’s artistic style is characterized by:
Orientalism: A strong focus on depicting scenes from the Middle East, reflecting the European fascination with “the Orient.”
Attention to Detail: His work is renowned for its precision and accuracy in rendering architectural details, costumes, and landscapes.
Landscaping & Townscapes: He skillfully combined romantic sensibilities with detailed observation, creating evocative depictions of both natural environments and urban settings.
David Roberts’s work played a crucial role in popularizing the Middle East among European audiences. His images provided a visual window into a region that was largely unknown to many, influencing travel, scholarship, and artistic representation.
His lithographs served as important historical documents, preserving images of sites that have since changed or been lost. He left an indelible mark on the art world, inspiring subsequent generations of artists and continuing to captivate viewers today.
artsdot.com/en/art/download/david-roberts-el-cairo-8LHRBC-en/
Look closely
El Cairo — David Roberts
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
David Roberts's recurring themes include orientalist aesthetics, 19th-century travelogue, egyptian landscape views, david roberts' vision, exotic middle east", imperial fascination, european gaze, landscapes of the unknown; "El Cairo" focuses on ancient egypt, desert landscape, orientalist art, cairo cityscape, 19th century travel, middle eastern culture, roberts painting”.
The palette of "El Cairo" by David Roberts is described as earthy. It is a compact description of the work's colors.
"El Cairo" by David Roberts can be downloaded from the artwork's Download page, as a high-resolution digital image download.