The Altar of Baal

Fenn created this image to illustrate an article titled "A Photographer's First Visit to Petra," published in "Century Magazine," November 1885. Born in Britain, and trained as a wood engraver who worked for the Dalziel Brothers, Fenn visited the United States in 1857 and decided to settle in New York. After studying painting and drawing, he became a prominent New York illustrator known for his landscape imagery. His success with the lavishly illustrated "Picturesque America," published by D. Appleton’s (1870–72) was followed by "Picturesque Europe" (1875–79), and "Picturesque Palestine, Sinai and Egypt" (1881–84). The present image relates to the latter book and also reflects Fenn's prolific work during his latter decades for periodicals such as "Century Magazine," "Harper’s Weekly," "Harper’s Monthly" and "Scribner’s."