Who painted Descent from the Valley of the Jordan?

Descent from the Valley of the Jordan was painted by David Roberts in 1839.

Where can I see Descent from the Valley of the Jordan?

Descent from the Valley of the Jordan is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Descent from the Valley of the Jordan?

Descent from the Valley of the Jordan is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Descent from the Valley of the Jordan

David Roberts , 1839

Descent from the Valley of the Jordan is a print by the Romanticist artist David Roberts. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1839 by Scottish painter David Roberts, *Descent from the Valley of the Jordan* is a lithographic print that captures a steep, rocky gorge descending toward a winding river. A narrow path snakes down the cliffs, where a small group of figures on foot and horseback pause beside a crumbling stone structure, surveying the arid landscape that stretches to a hazy horizon.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a journey through a barren valley of the Jordan, emphasizing the isolation and grandeur of the Near Eastern terrain. The solitary travelers and the dilapidated architecture suggest themes of pilgrimage and the passage of time, while the expansive view invites contemplation of humanity’s smallness within a vast, timeless environment.

Technique & Style

Roberts employs a restrained palette of muted earth tones, allowing the pale, hazy sky to recede and heighten the sense of distance. Fine line work renders the rugged cliffs and sparse vegetation with meticulous detail, characteristic of his Orientalist approach that blends topographical accuracy with a Romantic sensibility toward landscape.

History & Provenance

The print derives from Roberts’s extensive travels in the Levant between 1838 and 1840, a period that supplied material for many of his later lithographs and oil paintings. *Descent from the Valley of the Jordan* entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 19th‑century European prints.

Artist & collection

Artist

David Roberts

David Roberts (24 October 1796 – 25 November 1864) was a Scottish painter. He is especially known for The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, a prolific series of detailed lithograph prints of Egypt and…