Journey, Art, and History Julius Euting’s Illustrated Collection of the North of Arabia

Abstract

The German researcher, Julius Euting, travelled to the north of Saudi Arabia during 1883–1884. He travelled to Al-Jawf, Hail, Tayma, Tabuk, Al-Hijr, and Al-Ula, and to Al-Wajh on the Red Sea coast. He maintained a diary that included many paintings he created in various types and sizes, using pen, pencil, brush, and colors. He illustrated natural appearances, urban landmarks, human activities, and several personalities that he encountered. Additionally, he copied hundreds of ancient inscriptions. Euting’s illustrations were not just a hobby, but also a way to document his journey and convey its details through pictures. It was a challenging for Euting to produce this illustrated collection, which provoked various reactions among the inhabitants of the north of Arabia. His illustrated collection is of crucial historical value, and it enables one to gain extensively explore understanding of the nature of life in there during that time.