Photo Details: Luigi Mayer (1755-1803). “The Lovers Fountain with the Adjacent Mosque.” [Egypt]. From Views in Egypt, Palestine, and Other Parts of the Ottoman Empire. Original hand coloring. Very good condition. From a group of finely crafted and informative views of the Middle East. The original drawings were done by Luigi Mayer for Sir Robert Ainslie, during his embassy to Constantinople, then the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Mayer traveled widely in the region, recording scenes in Palestine, Egypt, and present-day Turkey.
He paid great attention to architecture, costume, and landscape. These details are lovingly captured by the engraver and colorist bringing out much of the feel of the earth tones and atmosphere of the region. The richness of the culture, both ancient and contemporary, is vividly and accurately illustrated, providing us with a privileged glimpse of the Middle East before the tremendous changes it was soon to undergo. Frame Details: Hand-gilded frame with 23K Gold. Gold is continuous.
