Denon, Ruins of the Temple of Hermopolis, 1820, Copperplate Engraving

Details

Description

This is an 1820 copperplate engraving by Denon, expertly crafted by Hawkesworth, depicting the ruins of the Temple of Hermopolis … Read more This is an 1820 copperplate engraving by Denon, expertly crafted by Hawkesworth, depicting the ruins of the Temple of Hermopolis in Egypt. Ruins of the Temple of Hermopolis, Upper Egypt, was one of the sites surveyed by the French during Napoleons Egyptian campaign. The artwork showcases the grand columns and remaining architecture of this ancient structure, providing a glimpse into the grandeur of Egypt's historical monuments. Hermopolis was an important city in classical antiquity, known for its worship of Thoth, the god of wisdom, and the artwork captures the essence of its archaeological significance. More details about this engraving: Denon was being mesmerised by the grandeur and beauty of the temple of Hermopolis, he gave himself up for some pondering: "A peasant who should be drawn out from his cottage, and placed before such a building as this, would believe that there must exist a wide difference between himself and the beings who were able to construct it; and without having any idea of architecture, he would say, this is the work of a god, a man could not dare to inhabit it. Is it the Egyptians who have invented and brought to perfection such a beautiful art? This is a question which I am unable to answer; but even on a first glimpse of this edifice we may pronounce, that the Greeks have never devised nor executed anything in a grander style." More research needed about its original publication. See less