Contes

1809 · 26394 — Paris: Imprimerie Impériale 1809. Fine. Imprimerie Impériale Paris 1809-1829 53.50 x 71 cm une feuille Original etching in plano uncut from the so-called ""Imperial"" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand. Executed between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 actually 1810 it was printed in 1000 copies on watermarked laid paper ""Égypte ancienne et moderne"" and offered to institutions. Slight marginal foxing not affecting the engraving otherwise in very fine fresh condition and well preserved. Volume ETAT MODERNE II: The genius of the Institute's scholars is particularly revealed through the plates of the section called Egypte Moderne. Architecture industry social structures health conditions water systems music crafts are presented with exceptional precision and graphic quality. The spirit of Diderot and d'Alembert's L'Encyclopédie remains underlying in the approach of the draughtsmen of the Description de L'Egypte who accompany the text volumes with numerous detailed plates endeavoring to create a portrait of the populations imbued with beauty and respect. Wealthy pashas or simple pottery artisans are represented with sensitivity going about their occupations amid aesthetic compositions without falling into idealism or caricature. LA DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE IMPERIAL edition 1809-1829: La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. A titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799 it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne present a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's armies of the East. The ""Egyptian campaign"" a military disaster reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge the chemist Berthollet the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire as well as numerous artists engineers architects physicians. They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt showing its natural riches and the know-how of its inhabitants. The first edition called ""Imperial"" of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats two of them specially created for it and named ""Moyen-Egypte"" and ""Grand-Egypte"" formats. A specific press was built for its printing which spread over twenty years between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the ""Egypte ancienne et moderne"" watermark called the ""Panckoucke"" edition was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house Paris. The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon illustrator diplomat collector and later director of the Napoleon Museum of the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with numerous other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon from his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus create a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon it was therefore the greatest French scientists and Imprimerie Impériale unknown