the holy land has captured the attention of man kind since biblical times and the early days of christianty. Throughout the centuries. Pilgrims and traveles have left us accounts of their traveles. Some of them accompanied by engravings and etchings which frequently were not accurate reflections of what had seen. Nineteenth- century palestine fired the imaginationof the western world. Improved travel facilities and greater political stability in the near east brought ever -increasing numbers of visitors to the holy land. Affecting the quantity and the quality of the pictorial depictions of its holy sites and scenes. Particularyjerusalem. Like other countries in the exotic east. Palestine also became a point of focal interest for painters of the orientalist school. Though its major attractionwas the unique connection to the bible. The author has assembled a fascinating collection of unique works of art.executed in the diverse styles of nineteenth -century paintings. Around these reproductions, many of them in color. He reconstructs the story of the artists who produced them,who came from many european countries and from north america. The result is an important and unique perspective on the sites. Pepole, events and customs of the holy land in the nineteenth century. Proffesor yehushua ben arieh, rector of the hebrew univesity of jerusalem, is one of the leading scholars of nineteenth- cetury palestine. He is the author of the rediscovery of the holy land in the nineteenth century and the two volume jerusalem in the nineteenth century.