Artwork
Siloam from under S.E. Corner of Wall Jerusalem
Siloam from under S.E. Corner of Wall Jerusalem is a drawing by John Fulleylove. It dates from 1901 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The drawing presents a view of the Pool of Siloam as seen from beneath the southeast angle of the wall that once surrounded Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. The composition captures a steep, rocky slope dotted with modest dwellings, narrow lanes, and a watercourse that threads through the arid terrain, offering a concise impression of the locale’s topography.
Subject & Meaning
The work records a specific perspective of the ancient pool and its surrounding settlement, emphasizing the integration of human habitation into the hillside. By focusing on the modest architecture and the meandering stream, the sketch conveys the everyday environment that surrounded a site of religious significance, highlighting the coexistence of sacred and mundane spaces.
Technique & Style
Executed with swift, light strokes, the artist employs a loose line quality to suggest the uneven ground and crumbling walls. The drawing relies on minimal shading, using varied line density to hint at texture and depth, indicating that it was likely produced on location as a rapid visual note rather than a finished studio piece.
History & Provenance
Originally part of a series of illustrations for the 1902 volume *The Holy Land Painted* by John Fulleylove, the image was exhibited at The Fine Art Society that same year under a descriptive title. It entered the private collection of Rodney Searight after being purchased from the Schidlof gallery around 1967, where it remains documented.
Artist & collection
Entrance to Queen's College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford, from the Cloisters
Cloisters at New College, Oxford
St John's Bridge, Cambridge
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
Watercolour, St Germain l'Auxerrois, Paris
Place de la Concorde, looking towards the Madeleine
Shrine of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
