Three watercolours by English artist Edward Lear are for sale at Christies on 8 december 2017. Lear made more than 50 drawings on Mt Athos in 1856. Every now and then they appear on the market. The drawings are very nicely made with pen and pencil, waterpaint and brown ink. Lets view the locations up close.
The main entrance of Vatopedi is not that much changed over the years. 
Fernand Cuville made an early colour photograph (autochrome) of the Vatopedi entrance in 1917. On the left there is a chimney now.
This is how the entrance looks nowadays, photo H. Voogd.
This is a nice angle on the entrance of Lavra. Behind the entrance is the kiosk where pilgrims sit, talk and smoke with a nice view on the island of Thasos. See the battlements on the top of the wall on the right. 
I could not find the exact location in my photo library. This was the best I could get. The tree in the middle is almost entirely blocking the view on the kiosk, only a small part of is to be seen. In the background the tower of the arsanas which looks not far but is a half hour walk. The man in front is standing on the helipad.
The Lavra entrance and the kiosk by Bas Kamps in 2017.
The monastery of Stavronikita by Edward Lear, with the aqueduct on the left.
Cuville took another position to make his autochrome of Stavronikita in 1917.
Here is the aqueduct of Stavronikita in 2015.
More on Edward Lear, visit A Blog of Bosh.
Herman Voogd
Athos - Agios Oros 
Thank you for this post Herman …These Lear drawings are often posted too on the Lear blog written by Harvard University…if you Google ‘Blog of Bosh’ you can find it and search for Athos posts from the past.
Regards
Gerald Brisch
Herman
Just to let you know that these three lovely watercolours were sold today in London at Christies.
Lot 304 – estimated at £4000, sold for £9500
Lot 305 – estimated at £3000 sold for £8500
Lot 306 – estimated at £2500 sold for £8000
Poor Lear had to struggle for his living by sales of his work at a few pounds each, and now they fetch thousands, and his oil paintings tens of thousands!
Some lucky person, or persons, now has these three for their walls!
Regards
Gerald Brisch
PS – perhaps your readers would like to search for Edward Lear on my website http://www.tambent.com