Silk mercers bazaar in Cairo, David Roberts, 1846

This image of the bustling silk mercers bazaar in cairo, egypt, comes from the marvellous series of lithographs executed after original drawings by the scottish artist david roberts ra (1796-1864). Roberts, who spent over a year travelling throughout the middle east, returned to england in july 1839 with 272 sketches and three sketchbooks full of drawings. He spent the next decade reworking his sketches into new drawings that were lithographed by louis haghe (1806-1885) and published by subscription between 1842 and 1849 in two series called the holy land, syria, idumea, arabia, egypt and nubia and egypt & nubia. — egypt & nubia, from drawings made on the spot by david roberts r. A.;with historical descriptions by william brockedon, f. R. S. … london: f. G. Moon, [1846-1849], 3 vols, alexander turnbull library, freng robe egypt 1846. Date: 1846.