The Story of the Starlit Dunes oil painting

In December 1895, Captain Palmer established his solitary camp among the Arabian desert’s rolling terrain. As darkness descended, the explorer prepared for a night of celestial observation, an important aspect of his expedition for the Royal Geographical Society.

Palmer’s journal described how the landscape transformed at nightfall. “The Starlit Dunes create perfect conditions for astronomical work,” he wrote. “The sand formations that challenged us by day now serve as natural observatories.” From his position in a small valley, Palmer had an unobstructed view of the heavens, free from the light pollution of civilization.

Mapping the Skies

With methodical precision, Palmer documented the positions of stars and constellations visible from this remote location. His leather-bound journal filled with careful notations and sketches comparing the night sky as viewed from these foreign Starlit Dunes to what he knew from Scotland.

“One discovers a different perspective on familiar constellations when viewed across the Starlit Dunes,” Palmer noted. He meticulously recorded these observations, contributing valuable data to the Society’s understanding of astronomical navigation in different parts of the globe.

The Explorer’s Solitude

Before retiring to his tent, Palmer made one final entry: “There is perhaps no better place for contemplation than alone in the starlit dunes, where one feels the true scale of exploration — a single man mapping the unknown between sand and stars.”

This authentic moment from Palmer’s expedition journals inspired our painting “Starlit Dunes”— capturing the essence of discovery that defined the golden age of exploration.