Nablus Canvas Print

Gorgeous calligraphy canvas print by Nawaf Soliman as part of the Cities in the Heart exhibit.

Numbered giclée on wood-stretched canvas

Between Ebal in the north and Jerzim to the south, the Canaanites established a city four-thousand years ago called Shechem (the high place). Many years later, on the outskirts of the city, the Romans established Neapolis (the new city). 

Nablus sits between the mountains, its sights a relief from the busy lifestyles of Ramallah and Jerusalem. The soil surrounding Nablus is rich in life: figs, olives, and pomegranates grow abundantly in the nearby plains. 

Nablus is placed between two mountains and has continued to pass down the secrets of the most famous desert in the Middle East, Kunafa. It's often called "Little Damascus" because the markets are full of oil, cheese, and soap; among the stalls, you can also find musk, Jasmine, and Qaryoon. 

Jesus passed through Nablus, where a Samaritan woman gave him a drink from the well of Jacob. The Good Samaritans, from the Bible, still live above the city of Nablus, guarding the oldest copy of the Torah, and praying to God.

This calligraphy painting represents the name of the city written in Arabic in an innovative, free-wheeling style, called sponge pen.