Scottish painter David Roberts visited the Middle East in the 1830s and 40s. This six-volume book contains 247 full-color plates that depict temples, ruins, people and landscapes. Roberts arrived in Alexandria in 1838 and spent 11 months traveling up the Nile River. He filled three sketchbooks with his impressions, which would win critical acclaim when published. Roberts paintings remain some of the most memorable images of the Middle East, and his work won praise from Queen Victoria, John Ruskin and others.