Few places on earth can match the religiously charged nature of the Orient. Ex oriente lux ... here world religions have found their origins; mystical and orthodox religious experiences thrive side by side. The Levant, cradle of Christianity, has always held a strong attraction for the Westerner. Despite scientific explanations for the mysteries and despite the secularization of society, this changed little in the 19th century.

Rather, it had never been so easy for pilgrims to reach the Holy Land and artists were well aware of this.

For those who wanted to create a new style of biblical history painting, the East was a model for contemporary scenes from the Holy Scriptures. Others were dedicated to rendering landscapes or representing the European fascination with exotic religious practices.