The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-10 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

In the representation of oriental life, of eastern
architecture, of Asiatic scenery, there is one artist
now living who stands altogether unapproached, and
we might even say unapproachable. Every one will
know at once that this great painter is no other than
David Roberts, the Royal Academician. His genius
has been tasked to the portrayal of those landscapes,
of those structures, of that country where nature is
most sublime, if not most fruitful, where poetry
abounds unstintedly, and where every hill and every
valley, every rill and every ruin, is associated with
the marvels of biblical history. In addition to the
accuracy with which Mr. Roberts invariably depicts
the aspect of those august localities, it can-
not but be remarked that he brings also to
the labours of his art a reverent appre-
ciation of its dignity and of their astonishing character.
Those who bear in recollection his masterly picture of
the "Destruction of Jerusalem," formerly exhibited on
the walls of the Academy in the midst of the annual
May exhibition, and at present opened to public view
at the Hanover-square Rooms, will need no corrobo-
rative testimony as to the accuracy of this statement.
Having on Saturday once more examined this re-
markable work of art, having seentit in a better light
and a better position than it had when hanging within
the walls of the National Gallery, we bear in vivid
remembrance those capacities for natural and archi-
tectural delineation which have gained for the artist
an European and permanent celebrity. .A coloured
lithographic engraving, taken from the original, and
executed in tints imitative of the painting, is now
in course of production under the hand of Louis
Haghe, the distinguished painter in water-colours
and engraver of the " Holy Land," " Arabia," and
other works (f a similar character. The picture itself,
being in size fourteen feet by nine feet high, the en-
graving (which will be shortly published by the
Messrs. Hering and Remington) will be forty-two
inches by twenty-seven inches high—consequently
ample room will be afforded Mr. Ilaghe for the dis
play of his skill as a copyist. We understand, moreover,
that this gentleman has resolved upon exerting Llt
his abilities upon a plate which will be his final produc-
tion as a lithographer, it being his intention to dedicate
himself henceforth to the cultivation of his powers
as a water-colour painter. It may consequently he
anticipated with a large degree of confidence that the
lengraving when completed will in 1:s style of art
be little lets than a masterpiece. Its possession
cannot under any circumstances be a matter of indif-
ference to those who duly estimate the genius of
David Roberts, the ability of Louis Haghe, the
grandeur of the subject represented, and the momen-
tous character of the epoch illustrated in the De-
struction of Jerusalem. The spectator is supposed
to be looking down upon the ancient city of Jerusa-
lem from the summit of the Mount of Olives: the
gaze wandering over Zion or the upper city, Acne or
the lower city, Bezetha or the new city ; over tt,e
Gate of Hebron and the Tower of Mariatnne ; over
the Temple of Herod and the Porch of Solomon ; over
the Pool of Bethesda and the Valley of Jehoshaphat ;
over the Brook of Cedron and the bill of Ahab ;
and through the smoke and the flames of the
conflagration kindled by the Roman soldiers under
Titus over that awful Calvary where, upon the spot
sanctified by the crucifixion, the pagan armies erected
statues to Venus and Jupiter ! Than these the artist
could not have selected localities of more absorbing
interest: neither could he have scarcely portrayed
event of a more momeetous description.