The Monuments of Egypt and Nubia [Hardcover]

Ippolito Rosellini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2003

Following the Napoleonic military campaign in Egypt (1798-1801), Europe rediscovered the ancient Egyptian civilization, and later expeditions deepened and amplified knowledge of the country's archaeological monuments, giving birth to a new science, Egyptology, which is still very active. In 1828, Charles X of France and Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany financed the first international scientific expedition to Egypt, the aim of which was to explore the historic monuments of the country. Unlike the Napoleonic Commission, the Franco-Tuscan expedition was able to take advantage of the understanding of hieroglyphic script and therefore examine the antiquities more systematically. The leaders of the expedition were Jean-Francois Champollion, the man who deciphered the hieroglyphs using the Rosetta Stone, and Ippolito Rosellini. Born in Pisa in 1800, Rosellini was noted for his study of the monuments, deciphering of the hieroglyphs and, above all, for his contribution to science in the form of his illustrated work, The Monuments of Egypt and Nubia. This volume recounts the era of early Egyptology at the start of the nineteenth century, and presents the most beautiful plates from Rosellini's original work made following the long expedition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A former lecturer in foreigh literature and languages, Franco Serina is the author of several books on Egypt, and her art.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774247892
• ISBN-13: 978-9774247897
• Product Dimensions: 14.3 x 10.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,742,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Glimpse at Lost Art Treasures, February 1, 2007

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This review is from: The Monuments of Egypt and Nubia (Hardcover)

Rosellini traveled throughout Egypt and Nubia during the early-to-mid 1890s in the company of such illustrious companions as Champollion. They were present for the openings of many Theban tombs and recorded the inner temple paintings of Abu-Simbel before anyone in the West had heard of it.

Rosellini's paintings were originally published in 5 gigantic volumes, so what we have in this book is simply a sampling of his overall work. But what a joy for the eyes and the mind these images are! The colors are brilliant and the images are exactingly reproduced by both Rosellini and the publisher.

The paintings are divided into sections according to subject matter. I found the descriptions of the paintings rather scant, but the majority of the original tomb paintings Rosellini copied are now either devoid of color or, more often, destroyed, thus making this record invaluable. Unfortunately, Rosellini's work is not often reproduced, so don't miss this rare glimpse into the past and the splendid artwork copied when it the originals still looked so fresh and perfect that the artist might have just stepped out for a break.

My only complaint/cry is for more of Rosellini's work to be reprinted in fine, oversized form like this and for a price as reasonable as this book's. There's not much text, but you'll find your friends can't keep their hands off this book, even the ones who are normally bored by Egyptology.