Priest Carrying the Blessed Sacrament

Nicknamed the Scottish Canaletto, Roberts was a prolific painter and inveterate traveller, visiting Spain, Tangier and the Holy Land. His early beginnings as a theatrical scenery painter helped him render the dramatic nature of the ancient monuments and religious sites he visited abroad. His pictures reflect a growing religiosity in England : anything with Biblical or religious associations was received favourably in mid-19th century Britain, as were oriental themes. This painting was originally catalogued as 'Eastern Scene' but has since been renamed Priest Carrying the Blessed Sacrament, as it is thought to represent the ceremonial procession prior to the celebration of the Eucharist.