Fleury

1977 — Middle East: Paris Impremerie de C.L.F.Pancoucke 1820-1829. Copper engraving showing one of the Colossi of Mnemnon Thebes from the second volume of the "Antiquities "of the "Description de l'Egypte" 2nd Edition; black & white; verso blank. Blind stamp of the publisher Panckoucke to margin. The image shows the statue reconstructed from the front and side sides showing the Greek graffiti carved on the massive legs of the statue and on the sides of the pedestal; with a detail of the carving of the Nile god Hapy from the side of his throne. The statue depicts Amenhotep III fl. 14th century BC in a seated position his hands resting on his knees and his gaze facing eastwards towards the river. Two shorter figures are carved into the front throne alongside his legs: these are his wife Tiy and mother Mutemwiya. Good dark impression; generally clean a few very minor spots. "Description de l'Egypte ou Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Egypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française." When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt in 1798 he brought with him an entourage of more than 160 scholars and scientists. Known as the French Commission on the Sciences and Arts of Egypt these experts undertook an extensive survey of the country's archeology topography and natural history. . For four years more than 150 artists engineers linguists and scientists traveled throughout the country examining almost every aspect of ancient and contemporary Egypt. They recorded and measured in meticulous detail Egypt's topography flora and fauna and its ancient and contemporary architecture. A soldier who was part of the expedition found the famous Rosetta Stone which the French linguist and scholar Jean-François Champollion 1790-1832 later used to unlock many of the mysteries that long had surrounded the language of ancient Egypt. The Egyptian expedition ended with a total military failure. The French left Egypt in 1801 with the honors of war but defeated; yet military failure remains a significant event in the history of knowledge because it is the first time a military expedition was accompanied by a scientific expedition. In 1802 Napoleon authorized the publication of the commission's findings in a monumental multi-volume work that included plates maps scholarly essays and a detailed index. Publication of the original Imperial edition began in 1809 and continued to 1822 sold by subscription. It proved so popular that a second edition was published under the post-Napoleonic Bourbon Restoration. The "Royal edition" published in Paris by C.L.F. Panckoucke from 1820-1830. The Second edition consists of 11 or 12 volumes of plates in folio and 24 of text bound as 26 8vo. Brunet:II 617; Blackmer/Navari: 476 1st edition Middle East Antiquities Colossi of Memnon Paris Impremerie de C.L.F.Pancoucke 1820-1829 unknown