Nablus 

David Roberts made this watercolor painting of Nablus sometime in the 19th century. It reflects the growing cultural fascination with the Middle East in Europe at the time. Notice how Roberts positions Nablus within a dramatic landscape. The high vantage point, the contrast between light and shadow, and the figures traveling with camels, all romanticize the area. This Orientalist approach was very popular in Britain, where paintings of the Middle East, such as this one, were shown at institutions like the Royal Academy. Roberts’ work, however, also reflects the politics of imagery. His flattering images served to legitimize British colonial ambitions and to cast the Middle East as a land of biblical history, and exoticism, ripe for European influence. To fully understand this image, we can examine archival materials and exhibition histories to contextualize how these paintings functioned in the art world, how they were viewed, and what social purpose they served.