Who painted Chancel of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.?

Chancel of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. was painted by David RA Roberts.

Where can I see Chancel of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.?

Chancel of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artwork

Chancel of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.

Chancel of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. is a watercolor work on paper by David RA Roberts. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The watercolour sheet contains two small sketches on its reverse side, each portraying the Doorway of Baalbec.

About this work

Overview

Marginal notes such as “dallu ochee” and “Palestine” accompany the drawings, indicating the artist’s on‑site observations.

The watercolour sheet contains two small sketches on its reverse side, each portraying the Doorway of Baalbec. Rendered in a rapid, travel‑sketch style, the images capture a bustling church interior with open wooden doors, hanging lanterns, and figures ranging from robed worshippers to children at play. Marginal notes such as “dallu ochee” and “Palestine” accompany the drawings, indicating the artist’s on‑site observations.

Subject & Meaning

The scenes focus on the architectural entrance of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, emphasizing the everyday activity within the sacred space. By depicting ordinary movement—people walking, sitting, conversing—the sketches convey a sense of lived religious practice rather than idealized monumentality.

Technique & Style

Executed with loose watercolor washes and quick pencil lines, the drawings prioritize immediacy over finish. The modest level of detail suggests they were produced as preparatory studies rather than finished works, a common approach for artists planning larger printed editions.

History & Provenance

The sketches are thought to be preparatory drawings for the lithographic plates featured in David Roberts’s multi‑volume “Holy Land” series (1842–49). While the hand of Roberts is evident in the marginal inscriptions, some scholars have attributed the work to James Duffield Harding or an assistant in Roberts’s studio. Both sheets entered the collection of the auction house Phillips in 1973, where they were recorded together.

Context

During the mid‑19th century, British artists and travelers frequently documented the Holy Land for publication, catering to a growing public interest in biblical geography. Watercolour studies such as these provided the visual foundation for the detailed lithographs that would later appear in illustrated travel books.

Legacy

Although the sketches themselves remain modest in execution, they offer insight into the collaborative studio practices behind major publishing projects of the era. Their preservation in a major museum collection allows scholars to trace the development from on‑site observation to the polished images that shaped Victorian perceptions of the Holy Land.