Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte
Print
1802 (published)
1802 (published)
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| Place of origin |
This print is part of plate 53 taken from Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte published in 1802. It features an engraving of a temple to the Goddess Isis called Contra Latopolis, so-called because it stood opposite the temple of Latopolis (Esne).
The engraving by Jean Baptiste Réville (1767-1825) is based on sketches made by the artist and diplomat Dominique Vivant, Baron de Denon (1747-1825) when he travelled with Napoleon’s army in Egypt in 1798 to record the archaeological features of Egypt. Two of Denon’s pen and ink studies of this temple are in the British Museum, dated 1802.
When General-in-chief Napolean Bonaparte (1769-1821) set off for a campaign in Egypt, he took more than 150 engineers, scientists, cartographers, surveyors, architects, linguists, forming a Commission des Sciences et Arts d’Égypte, to record and study Egypt’s topography, plant and animal life, minerals, and industry. While Napoleon campaigned in Lower Egypt, Denon accompanied General Louis Desaix (1768-1800) through Upper Egypt in a campaign against the Mamluk leader Murad Bey. Denon's sketches of Luxor, Karnac, Dendera, Thebes, Esna, Edfu, and Philae promted Napoleon to instruct two teams of people to complete the project. The result of their work was eventually published in the Description de l‘Egypte (1809-28). Meanwhile Denon also used his illustrations in his earlier book Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, published in 1802.
Denon’s artwork and the resulting publications sparked a renewal of interest in the Egyptian arts and Egyptian motifs featured in French architecture and the decorative arts. Prints from Denon’s volume, including this one, were reproduced on a Sèvres porcelain dinner service designed in 1805 and called the Service Egyptien. Two dinner services were made, one presented to the Tsar Alexander of Russia in 1808 and the other ordered by Empress Joséphine in 1810 but later presented to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. A possible trial plate with this image of Contra Latopolis is in the British Museum.
The engraving by Jean Baptiste Réville (1767-1825) is based on sketches made by the artist and diplomat Dominique Vivant, Baron de Denon (1747-1825) when he travelled with Napoleon’s army in Egypt in 1798 to record the archaeological features of Egypt. Two of Denon’s pen and ink studies of this temple are in the British Museum, dated 1802.
When General-in-chief Napolean Bonaparte (1769-1821) set off for a campaign in Egypt, he took more than 150 engineers, scientists, cartographers, surveyors, architects, linguists, forming a Commission des Sciences et Arts d’Égypte, to record and study Egypt’s topography, plant and animal life, minerals, and industry. While Napoleon campaigned in Lower Egypt, Denon accompanied General Louis Desaix (1768-1800) through Upper Egypt in a campaign against the Mamluk leader Murad Bey. Denon's sketches of Luxor, Karnac, Dendera, Thebes, Esna, Edfu, and Philae promted Napoleon to instruct two teams of people to complete the project. The result of their work was eventually published in the Description de l‘Egypte (1809-28). Meanwhile Denon also used his illustrations in his earlier book Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, published in 1802.
Denon’s artwork and the resulting publications sparked a renewal of interest in the Egyptian arts and Egyptian motifs featured in French architecture and the decorative arts. Prints from Denon’s volume, including this one, were reproduced on a Sèvres porcelain dinner service designed in 1805 and called the Service Egyptien. Two dinner services were made, one presented to the Tsar Alexander of Russia in 1808 and the other ordered by Empress Joséphine in 1810 but later presented to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. A possible trial plate with this image of Contra Latopolis is in the British Museum.
Object details
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| Materials and techniques | Etching |
| Brief description | Etching of an Egyptian temple by Jean-Baptiste Réville after Dominique Vivant Denon. Paris, 1802. |
| Physical description | Plate 53 of Baron Denon's Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte. 2. Contra Latopolis. An ancient Egyptian temple supported by eight columns in two rows with the head of Hathor and papyrus leaves as capitals, a globe with outstretched wings in the portico. A group of people stand nearby. Four mounted soldiers depart to the left while a group of foot soldiers holding pikes are arriving from the right. |
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| 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 | Provenance: Purchased from Mr. Rodney Searight, 1985. Nominal file number MA/1/S1039 Description taken from Searight Catalogue. Dominique Vivant Denon, Baron (1747-1825) was a leading French Egyptologist, artist, diplomat, author and antiquary. Courtier at Versailles he held various diplomatic posts. He went to Egypt during the Napoleonic Campaign in 1798-9 and published 'Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte' in 1802 and his drawings were also published in 'Description de L'Égypte' in 1809-22. J Nowinsky 'Baron Dominique Vivant Denon (1747-1825): Hedonist and Sholar in a Period of Transition' (Cranbury, New Jersey, 1970. and NGI, 'The East', 1988. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | This print is part of plate 53 taken from Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte published in 1802. It features an engraving of a temple to the Goddess Isis called Contra Latopolis, so-called because it stood opposite the temple of Latopolis (Esne). The engraving by Jean Baptiste Réville (1767-1825) is based on sketches made by the artist and diplomat Dominique Vivant, Baron de Denon (1747-1825) when he travelled with Napoleon’s army in Egypt in 1798 to record the archaeological features of Egypt. Two of Denon’s pen and ink studies of this temple are in the British Museum, dated 1802. When General-in-chief Napolean Bonaparte (1769-1821) set off for a campaign in Egypt, he took more than 150 engineers, scientists, cartographers, surveyors, architects, linguists, forming a Commission des Sciences et Arts d’Égypte, to record and study Egypt’s topography, plant and animal life, minerals, and industry. While Napoleon campaigned in Lower Egypt, Denon accompanied General Louis Desaix (1768-1800) through Upper Egypt in a campaign against the Mamluk leader Murad Bey. Denon's sketches of Luxor, Karnac, Dendera, Thebes, Esna, Edfu, and Philae promted Napoleon to instruct two teams of people to complete the project. The result of their work was eventually published in the Description de l‘Egypte (1809-28). Meanwhile Denon also used his illustrations in his earlier book Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte, published in 1802. Denon’s artwork and the resulting publications sparked a renewal of interest in the Egyptian arts and Egyptian motifs featured in French architecture and the decorative arts. Prints from Denon’s volume, including this one, were reproduced on a Sèvres porcelain dinner service designed in 1805 and called the Service Egyptien. Two dinner services were made, one presented to the Tsar Alexander of Russia in 1808 and the other ordered by Empress Joséphine in 1810 but later presented to Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. A possible trial plate with this image of Contra Latopolis is in the British Museum. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | SP.204:13 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
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