Edward Lear (London 1812-1888 San Remo, Italy)

From early in 1848, Lear was thinking about a trip to Egypt. After nine months of travelling through the eastern Mediterranean, he finally got there in January 1849. The visit was brief. In Cairo he met up with his friend John Cross, with whom he set out for Sinai and Palestine. They spent three nights at the monastery at Sinai, but Lear contracted a fever and was forced to give up the trip and convalesce at Suez.
For a note on Lear's second trip to Egypt see lot 276.