The Gate of Metawalea
Oil Painting
1843 (made)
1843 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Oil paintings illustrating the lands mentioned in the Bible became more popular in the first half of the 19th century. This was due in part to religious revivals in Britain, and partly to the increasing accessibility of Palestine and Egypt for artists and other visitors.
Subject Depicted
Egypt as a source of subjects for painters provided both the stupendous ruins of the Egypt of the Pharaohs and the splendid buildings of medieval Cairo. The district of Grand Cairo depicted here is Bab Zuwayla, one of the three main gates of Cairo, built in 1092 AD. This was also known locally as Bab Mutwalli (hence Roberts's title). The twin minarets above the gate are those of the Mosque of Sultan Mu'ayyad Shaykh, built just inside the gate between 1415 and 1421.
People
David Roberts spent one and half months working in Cairo, intending to balance his covering of Egypt's ancient temples with paintings of the country's Islamic architecture. His skill in dramatically rendering both the architecture and the lively street scene owes a lot to his early work for the theatre and opera. He first made his name in London in the 1820s as both a designer and painter of stage sets and panoramic backdrops at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and at Covent Garden.
Oil paintings illustrating the lands mentioned in the Bible became more popular in the first half of the 19th century. This was due in part to religious revivals in Britain, and partly to the increasing accessibility of Palestine and Egypt for artists and other visitors.
Subject Depicted
Egypt as a source of subjects for painters provided both the stupendous ruins of the Egypt of the Pharaohs and the splendid buildings of medieval Cairo. The district of Grand Cairo depicted here is Bab Zuwayla, one of the three main gates of Cairo, built in 1092 AD. This was also known locally as Bab Mutwalli (hence Roberts's title). The twin minarets above the gate are those of the Mosque of Sultan Mu'ayyad Shaykh, built just inside the gate between 1415 and 1421.
People
David Roberts spent one and half months working in Cairo, intending to balance his covering of Egypt's ancient temples with paintings of the country's Islamic architecture. His skill in dramatically rendering both the architecture and the lively street scene owes a lot to his early work for the theatre and opera. He first made his name in London in the 1820s as both a designer and painter of stage sets and panoramic backdrops at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and at Covent Garden.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Gate of Metawalea (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | oil on panel |
| Brief description | Oil painting entitled 'The Gate of Metawalea', depicting The Gate of Cairo, called Bab-el-Mutawellee, by David Roberts. British School, Egypt, 1843. |
| Physical description | The Gate of Cairo, called Bab-el-Mutawellee 'The Gate of Metawalea', by David Roberts RA (British, 1796-1864); oil on panel; signed and dated 1843. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'David Roberts, RA 1843' (Signed and dated by the artist, lower left) |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
David Roberts was one of a number of contemporary British painters of landscapes and architecture who travelled abroad in search of picturesque and exotic subjects. The East was Robert's greatest source of inspiration, and he visited Cairo in 1838-1839. The colourful and dramatic paintings by this celebrated artist reached a wide audience as many were reproduced in print.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by John Sheepshanks, 1857 |
| Object history | Given by John Sheepshanks, 1857. By David Roberts RA (born in Edinburgh, 1796, died in London, 1864) |
| Production | dated 1843 |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Oil paintings illustrating the lands mentioned in the Bible became more popular in the first half of the 19th century. This was due in part to religious revivals in Britain, and partly to the increasing accessibility of Palestine and Egypt for artists and other visitors. Subject Depicted Egypt as a source of subjects for painters provided both the stupendous ruins of the Egypt of the Pharaohs and the splendid buildings of medieval Cairo. The district of Grand Cairo depicted here is Bab Zuwayla, one of the three main gates of Cairo, built in 1092 AD. This was also known locally as Bab Mutwalli (hence Roberts's title). The twin minarets above the gate are those of the Mosque of Sultan Mu'ayyad Shaykh, built just inside the gate between 1415 and 1421. People David Roberts spent one and half months working in Cairo, intending to balance his covering of Egypt's ancient temples with paintings of the country's Islamic architecture. His skill in dramatically rendering both the architecture and the lively street scene owes a lot to his early work for the theatre and opera. He first made his name in London in the 1820s as both a designer and painter of stage sets and panoramic backdrops at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and at Covent Garden. |
| Bibliographic reference | Catalogue of British Oil Paintings 1820-1860, Ronald Parkinson, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1990, p. 252 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FA.176[O] |
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| Record created | January 6, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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