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Title: Le Temple de la Mecque – Bernaerts Engraving, 1736 Islamic ArchitectureSource: Ceremonies et coutumes religieuses de tous les peuples du mondePublished: Amsterdam, 1736Technique: Copperplate engraving on laid paper with visible plate marksSize: Sheet approx. 15.5 × 22.5 inches; Image approx. 11.5 × 21 inchesCondition: Very good + — minor archival repair at centerfold and right border; plate marks visible on tri-fold sheet as issued
DescriptionThis original 1736 copperplate engraving presents a detailed architectural rendering of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, with the Kaaba at its center, surrounded by pilgrims.
• Titled Le Temple de la Mecque, drawn by B. Bernaerts for Bernard Picart’s religious customs series• Depicts the sacred enclosure, surrounding arcades, and ceremonial layout of Islam’s holiest site• Shows the Kaaba, the Black Stone, the Zamzam structures, and surrounding colonnades• Engraving retains original typographic styling and framing conventions typical of Picart’s folio plates• Represents Enlightenment-era European interpretations of Islamic pilgrimage and sacred geography
Historical Context — Islamic ArchitectureThe Masjid al‑Haram, centered on the Kaaba, represents the oldest and most continuously expanded architectural complex in the Islamic world. Its defining elements—broad arcaded courtyards, rhythmic colonnades, domed galleries, and axial gateways—reflect centuries of architectural development under successive caliphates and sultanates. European engravers of the 17th and 18th centuries, including Bernaerts and Picart, relied on travelers’ accounts to interpret these forms, often emphasizing geometric order, proportional balance, and monumental enclosure in ways consistent with contemporary European architectural drafting. As a result, engravings like Le Temple de la Mecque blend recognizable Islamic architectural features with stylized European conventions, offering a rare early Western visualization of a sacred site otherwise inaccessible to non‑Muslim observers.
Shipping & GuaranteeThis is an original 1736 engraving — not a reproductionItems are folded as published, then shrink-wrapped on acid-free backing and mailed flat30‑day return policy for any reason
