56 Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825) – View of Palace and Temples – Egypt – Engraving (1809)

This antique engraving is from the Dominique Vivant Denon’s ”Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte, pendant les campagnes de Bonaparte” (Journey in Lower and Upper Egypt during the Campaigns of Bonaparte). The work was published by Samuel Bagster in London, 1809.

This detailed engraving shows a wide architectural vista with temples and ruins along the Nile between Thebes and a site possibly corresponding to the region of Luxor or Karnak. The French caption, though difficult to decipher in its entirety, indicates a panoramic passage from ancient Thebes. The view combines multiple temple forms, columns, pylons, and monumental stonework, all rendered in Denon’s precise documentary style.

The image belongs to Dominique Vivant Denon’s legendary visual report on Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, which became one of the foundational sources for 19th-century Egyptology. The English edition, published by Samuel Bagster in 1809, helped bring these discoveries to a broader European audience and remains a landmark in both archaeological and artistic history.

Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825) was a French artist, archaeologist, diplomat, and museum director. Chosen by Napoleon to accompany the Egyptian expedition, Denon recorded countless ancient monuments and later became the first director of the Louvre. His engravings formed the visual backbone of early modern Egyptology.

Artist or Maker:

Dominique Vivant Denon

Dimensions:

48 cm x 30 cm

Medium:

Engraving

Date:

1809

Condition Report:

This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.