El Khasne, Petra
Frederic Edwin Church · 1874
Why it's great
The great rose-red temple of Petra in Jordan is carved into a cliff, with tiny people at its base. Church traveled to the Middle East in 1868 and visited Petra, a hidden city in the desert that few Westerners had seen. The painting shows the huge carved building glowing at sunrise. It's an adventure picture from a far-off place.
👀 Look closer!
This temple is carved into a cliff. Who looks tiny next to it?
Where to see it
📍 Olana State Historic SiteGreenport, United States
Open in Maps ↗Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Frederic Edwin Church was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and studied with Thomas Cole. He traveled to South America, the Arctic and the Middle East, painting giant landscapes full of wonder. He became one of the most famous artists in the United States. He built a Persian-style mansion called Olana on the Hudson River.
