Special Collections Lecture - David Roberts Tour and Illustrations of the Holy Land 1838-39

To celebrate Library Ireland week, Special Collections Librarian, Marie Boran, delivered a lunchtime lecture on a spectacular two-volume set, the tour and Illustrations of the Holy Land 1838-39 by David Roberts. Between 1842-1845 the Scottish artist David Roberts published two lavish volumes of lithographed prints. The prints depicted sketches made by Roberts on a tour which included Egypt, Sinai, Idumea (modern day Petra) and the Holy Land in 1838-39. Appearing in different editions the Roberts volumes are famous amongst book collectors, art historians and archaeologists for their depiction of places and historical monuments in the Middle East over 175 years ago. The James Hardiman Library holds a set of these rare volumes as part of its Ringling-North collection. 

The lecture celebrated the theme of Library Ireland week which this year was “A Library holds a World of Ideas” and the volumes can be consulted, among others from the collection, within the Archives and Special Collections Reading Room. You can find more information on these collections here.