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48 x 37 cm (19 x 14.5 in)
Le Temple de la Mecque avec une description exacte de tout ce qu’on y voit & des Ceremonies qu’on y fait, tiré de la tradition des Mahometans.This is Henri Chatelain’s dramatic and detailed capture of the Haram, or Sacred Precinct, in Mecca—the holiest site in Islam. It provides a detailed view of the historic complex, which draws millions of pilgrims annually. In the center of the view, the quadratic black Kaaba dominates. According to Islamic tradition, this complex stands on the remains of the first temple that Abraham and his son Ishmael built for God.
In addition to the Kaaba, several shrines and other buildings have been drawn in their relative positions, and domed porticoes frame the enormous courtyard holding it all. In this manner, the view almost takes on the character of a plan. Chatelain brings his view to life by including many worshippers within the complex.
While the view of the Holy Precinct occupies the upper register of the print, in the lower register, we find two smaller vignettes depicting the various positions that Muslims assume during prayer. Between the vignettes is a text that includes a legend and key related to the larger view, as well as an introduction to the Islamic faith and tradition.Census
The copper-engraved view comes from Chatelain’s seminal seven-volume Atlas Historique, published in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720. The atlas combines the finest engraving and cartographic craftsmanship with academic studies of geography, history, ethnology, heraldry, and cosmography, and it was one of the most widely distributed atlases in the 18th century.
