Journals of a Landscape Painter in Albania, &c

Edward Lear

Jan 1851 · R. Bentley

Ratings and reviews

One of my very favorite books. Edward Lear - yes, the nonsense verse and limerick man - was a marvelous descriptive writer with a great sense of humor who traveled very rough indeed with donkeys and horses and his trusty companion Gregorio up and over mountain passes and through beguiling Albanian valleys in order to be the first to produce a travel guide with pictures of Albania for all those 1840s adventure and armchair travelers. His paintings aren't Venician Master material, but they are quite lovely enough and they gave him reason, in those days before photography had come into its own, to travel the world remarking with charming insight on the people and places he met and saw, from gracious, educated Beys, to the kids throwing rocks at him and calling him an old devil for drawing human likenesses. He stayed at Khans, the traveler's hostels mostly and has several very descriptive passages where he notes in detail the sights, smells and noises there - as well as very detailed notes on his meals and the meals of the people around him. He published additional journals from other parts of the world but I have a special affinity for Albania since it was sequestered behind the veil of Enver Hoxha for most of my life... a mysterious presence on the map. In addition to landscapes he includes several character and costume studies.

Is a very good book...it gives a detailed description of Albania its people....