Arimathea, also Ramah, Palestine, Antique Biblical Landscape View, circa 1850

Arimathea in the Holy Land, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption below the image reads ARIMATHIA (sonst RAMAH) with in Palæstina on the line beneath, that is, Arimathea, otherwise Ramah, in Palestine.

A small walled town with a domed building lies at the foot of a range of steep mountains in the middle distance, under a dark, stormy sky in which heavy clouds pile up over the peaks and a shaft of light falls on the summit at the left. The foreground is open, grassy ground with dense bushes and gnarled trees on the left and a group of trees on the right. Two robed figures, one standing and one seated, pause on a rise near the center, looking toward the town.

No artist or engraver is named on the plate. The imprint at lower left reads Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibliogr. Instit. in Hildbh. (from the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen), and at lower right Eigenthum d. Verleger (property of the publishers).

The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. Meyer's Universum was a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. Arimathea is named in the Gospels as the home of Joseph, who gave his own tomb for the burial of Jesus.

Handling soiling along the right and top edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Corners and edges are not shown by this scan. Clean, even paper tone in the margin. Several larger brown marks.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.