Artwork
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist Mary Parker. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Bethlehem is a watercolour painting by Mary Parker, depicting a serene scene of the biblical town.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a winding path leading to a stone castle, with two figures walking towards it, set amidst green hills and a pale sky. The tranquil atmosphere suggests a contemplative mood, possibly evoking a sense of pilgrimage or quiet journey.
Technique & Style
Parker employed soft colours and loose brushstrokes to create a dreamy effect, focusing on the overall mood rather than precise details.
History & Provenance
The work was purchased from Alister Mathews in Bournemouth in 1961 for £3 and five shillings, suggesting it had been in private hands before entering the market.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Mary Parker painted quiet watercolours of biblical sites in the 1820s. Her sheets show Carmel’s cliffs, the road to Emmaus, Sinai’s slopes, the river Jordan, and Bethlehem’s rooftops—all done in soft washes of color.…
![Tiberais [sic], by Mary Parker](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/mary-parker--tiberais-sic--e6f3a288c102ee52-w320.webp)
En Rogel, Holy Land
Mosque of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives
Luxor: the West Bank, with the Temple of Ramesses III at Madinat Habu; looking east towards the Nile
Saffed
City of Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee, looking towards Hebron
Remains of the Ancient Temple of Jerusalem
`Temple of Denderah. Distant view from bank of River. Upper Egypt'