Egyptian Village Scene
Watercolour
1869 (painted)
1869 (painted)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Egyptian men and women are seen here in a town or village on the Nile. In the shade of an overhanging tree a market stall displays its wares, including paper lanterns and bread. At the stall behind, sugar cane is for sale. In the background is a mosque with a white minaret, though not distinctive enough to establish the scene's locality. Pilleau had visited Egypt in the winter of 1842-43 with Lieutenant Colonel George Everest (after whom Mount Everest was named) and two other companions, on their way home from India. On his return to England he published a set of twelve coloured lithographs, Sketches in Egypt (1845), which, like the better-known publications of Wilkie, Roberts and Owen Jones in the same decade, fuelled popular interest in Egypt and the Holy Land. The success of his work may have encouraged him to give up his army career in order to devote his time to painting and travelling. He visited Egypt again in 1863 and 1868-69, and exhibited, at several London institutions, scenes of rural and urban life in this and other countries.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Egyptian Village Scene (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Water- and bodycolour over pencil, heightened with white, on blue/grey paper |
Brief description | Watercolour, Egyptian Village Scene. 1869. Henry Pilleau RI (1813-1899) |
Physical description | Watercolour drawing |
Dimensions |
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Styles | |
Marks and inscriptions | Signed with monogram HP and dated 1869. |
Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A |
Object history | According to Rodney Searight: - `Bt fr M. Strange, April 1970, £2'. |
Subjects depicted | |
Place depicted | |
Summary | Egyptian men and women are seen here in a town or village on the Nile. In the shade of an overhanging tree a market stall displays its wares, including paper lanterns and bread. At the stall behind, sugar cane is for sale. In the background is a mosque with a white minaret, though not distinctive enough to establish the scene's locality. Pilleau had visited Egypt in the winter of 1842-43 with Lieutenant Colonel George Everest (after whom Mount Everest was named) and two other companions, on their way home from India. On his return to England he published a set of twelve coloured lithographs, Sketches in Egypt (1845), which, like the better-known publications of Wilkie, Roberts and Owen Jones in the same decade, fuelled popular interest in Egypt and the Holy Land. The success of his work may have encouraged him to give up his army career in order to devote his time to painting and travelling. He visited Egypt again in 1863 and 1868-69, and exhibited, at several London institutions, scenes of rural and urban life in this and other countries. |
Bibliographic reference | Conner, Patrick (ed). The Inspiration of Egypt : its influence on British artists, travellers, and designers, 1700-1900 . Brighton Borough Council, Brighton, 1983 |
Collection | |
Accession number | SD.807 |
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Record created | March 23, 2008 |
Record URL |
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