Dominique Baron Vivant Denon, Egypt Architecture and Topography, 1802, Copper Engravings on Paper, Set of 3

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This scholarly and visually compelling set of three copper engravings originates from Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte, … Read more This scholarly and visually compelling set of three copper engravings originates from Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte, published in Paris in 1802 by Didot and illustrated by Dominique Baron Vivant Denon. Created directly after Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian campaign, Denon’s work represents the earliest coherent European visual and analytical record of ancient Egyptian monuments, landscapes, and architectural systems.

The three plates form a complementary group that combines architectural elevation, measured detail, and topographical mapping. One plate presents Egyptian statuary, obelisks, and temple views alongside architectural sections and elevations, blending pictorial representation with analytical clarity. Another focuses on geographical and topographical mapping, showing terrain, river systems, and site relationships with scientific precision. The third plate emphasizes architectural elements and structural details of temple columns and monuments, including plans and sectional views that reflect the expedition’s systematic approach to documentation. Unlike later Romantic or purely decorative visions of Egypt, these engravings are rooted in Enlightenment ideals of observation, measurement, and classification.

Condition report: Good antique condition overall. Light age-toning and scattered spotting consistent with early 19th-century laid paper. Minor surface marks and occasional small marginal imperfections may be present. Plate marks visible. No major tears or losses; sheets remain sound and well-preserved.
Technique: Copper engraving Maker: Dominique Baron Vivant Denon, Paris, 1802 See less