Belzoni, Giovanni Battista
Narrative of the operations and recent discoveries within the pyramids, temples, tombs and excavations, in Egypt and Nubia. London: John Murray, 1820.
Found at
Christies,
London
Ancient to Modern Art from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art, Part I, Lot 2
7. Dec - 7. Dec 2023
Ancient to Modern Art from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art, Part I, Lot 2
7. Dec - 7. Dec 2023
Estimate: XX.XXX
Price realised: XX.XXX
Price realised: XX.XXX
Description
BELZONI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA (1778-1823)
Narrative of the operations and recent discoveries within the pyramids, temples, tombs and excavations, in Egypt and Nubia. London: John Murray, 1820.
‘The first English work of any importance to use lithography’ (Blackmer). An attractive set of the text volume and its accompanying atlas, with the 6 plates published as a supplement two years later, all in first edition. 'These plates were intended to illustrate Belzoni's Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries... in Egypt and Nubia, Quarto... As many as eight colours are used on one plate for the coloured illustrations, and the colouring is skillfully done' (Abbey Travel, 268). Blackmer, 116-117.
Text volume: quarto (262 x 210mm). Lithographed portrait of Belzoni as a frontispiece. Lacking the lithographed plate of inscriptions. Modern three-quarter straight-grained burgundy morocco. Plate volume: folio (470 x 300mm). Title page, letter-press description of the plates, 34 lithographed or engraved plates and plans (showing 44 numbered images, mostly hand-coloured, some folding) with plate no. 40 bound with the following supplement. [Bound with:] – Six new plates, illustrative of the researches and operations of G. Belzoni in Egypt and Nubia. London: John Murray, 1822. Title page, 6 coloured plates (frequent offsetting, as always). Contemporary three-quarter straight-grained burgundy morocco. Provenance: Augustus Langdon (bookplate).
Narrative of the operations and recent discoveries within the pyramids, temples, tombs and excavations, in Egypt and Nubia. London: John Murray, 1820.
‘The first English work of any importance to use lithography’ (Blackmer). An attractive set of the text volume and its accompanying atlas, with the 6 plates published as a supplement two years later, all in first edition. 'These plates were intended to illustrate Belzoni's Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries... in Egypt and Nubia, Quarto... As many as eight colours are used on one plate for the coloured illustrations, and the colouring is skillfully done' (Abbey Travel, 268). Blackmer, 116-117.
Text volume: quarto (262 x 210mm). Lithographed portrait of Belzoni as a frontispiece. Lacking the lithographed plate of inscriptions. Modern three-quarter straight-grained burgundy morocco. Plate volume: folio (470 x 300mm). Title page, letter-press description of the plates, 34 lithographed or engraved plates and plans (showing 44 numbered images, mostly hand-coloured, some folding) with plate no. 40 bound with the following supplement. [Bound with:] – Six new plates, illustrative of the researches and operations of G. Belzoni in Egypt and Nubia. London: John Murray, 1822. Title page, 6 coloured plates (frequent offsetting, as always). Contemporary three-quarter straight-grained burgundy morocco. Provenance: Augustus Langdon (bookplate).
Other artists in this auction
