Description de l'Egypte

Description de l'Egypte; ou Recueil des observations et des recherches, qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française. Paris: Imprimerie Impériale, 1802-12, Imprimerie Royale, 1817-[30]

A magnificent copy, preserved in a contemporary Egyptian revival cabinet, of the first edition of the first comprehensive description of ancient and modern Egypt. The Description de l'Égypte was compiled by the members of the Institut de l'Égypte established by Napoleon to accompany his expedition to Egypt from 1798 through 1801. The approximately 165 members of the Institut, popularly known as savants, made a thorough study of all aspects of Egypt under the supervision of the mathematician Gaspard Monge, who was appointed president of the new academy; Napoleon himself served as vice president. The mass of information compiled in the monumental Description took over three decades to organize and issue: "never before or since has a study of such scope and thoroughness been accomplished on the basis of field work carried out in so short a space of time and under such inadequate and harrowing circumstances" (Herold).

CONTENTS:

Préface historique: Jésus folio; half-title, text by M. Fourier (although the proofs are said to have been read and corrected by Napoleon), explication of plates.

Antiquitiés: 5 volumes Jésus folio plates, each with half-title, title-page, and leaf of artists (including Balzac, E. Devilliers, P. Jollois, H.-J. Redouté, and Saint-Genis) listing the plates for which each was responsible; engraved frontispiece, engraved map, 425 engraved plates (including 6 called-for duplicate impressions, 2 impressions printed in sepia, and 28 impressions printed in color, some finished by hand, of which 95 (19 folding) are bound in the Grand Monde volumes. With 4 volumes of folio text: 2 volumes of Mémoires with half-titles, engraved frontispiece portrait of Claude Louis Berthollet, 20 engraved plates (one folding and including 16 of the demotic inscription from the Rosetta Stone), 2 folding engraved maps, and 10 letterpress tabular tables (5 folding); and 2 volumes Descriptions, with half-titles and engraved frontispiece portrait of Gaspard Monge.

The Antiquitiés plates depict not only the scenic ruins of Egypt, but also the various objects—including the Rosetta Stone—excavated by the Institut de l'Égypte, which now comprise the foundation of the Egyptian collection of the British Museum.

État Moderne: 2 volumes Jésus folio plates, each with half-title, title-page, and leaf of artists listing the plates for which each was responsible, folding engraved map, 170 engraved plates (one heightened in red), of which 12 are bound in the Grande Monde volumes. With 2 volumes of folio text (bound in 3) with half-titles, engraved frontispiece portrait of Nicolas Jacques Conté, 4 engraved plates (3 folding). one wood-engraved text illustration, and extensive printing in exotic alphabets and musical notation.

The État moderne plates depict the architecture of Egypt subsequent to the seventh-century Arab invasion, and also include sections on "arts et métiers," "costumes et portraits," "vases, meubles et instrumens," and "inscriptions, mommoies et médailles."

Histoire naturelle: 2 volumes Jésus folio plates (bound in 3), two half-title, title-pages, and leaves of artists (including Barraband, Bessa, Delile, Menuier, H.-J. Redouté, Saint-Hilaire, and Turpin) listing the plates for which each was responsible; 244 engraved plates (13 impressions printed in color, some finished by hand). With 2 folio text volumes with half-titles, engraved frontispiece portrait of Michel-Ange Lancret, and one folding engraved plate.

These plates, by some of the most enowned natural history artists of the nineteenth-century, depict the mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, flora, and geology of Egypt.

Carte géographique et carte topographique: Grande Monde folio, engraved title-page, letterpress list of "Noms des ingénieurs qui ont fourni les materiaux," engraved map-key and index leaf, general map on 3 sheets, detailed map after surveys by Jacotin on 47 engraved plates printed on 46 sheets.

Ready for publication in 1818 but, due to security restrictions, not issued by the French war department until 1830, these newly surveyed maps include Sinai, Palestine, and much of modern Lebanon in addition to Egypt.

Totalling, one engraved frontispiece, two engraved maps (one folding), 839 engraved plates (of which 6 are duplicate impressions, 41 are printed in color, 2 in sepia, and one is heightened in red); plus the atlas volume containing 2 maps on 49 sheets. (Please see contents above for details and for plates and other illustrations contained in the text volumes.)

Binding: Contemporary green morocco over pebbles green cloth, by Zoubre (first volume signed at foot of spine, tickets), spines gilt in compartments, front covers gilt-lettered "Donné par le Roi au Dr. Clot-Bey," marbled endpapers.

Housed in an Egyptian revival mahogany folio cabinet, attributed to Charles Morel after designs by Edme-François Jomard (1777-1865), ca. 1830. The rectangular top fitted with a hinged ratchet folio stand above a frieze drawer centered by a winged Egyptian motif, the long frieze drawer with a hinged flap opening to an interior fitted with a leather inset writing surface and a divided interior, the pair of cupboard doors opening to an arrangement of shelves of various sizes, the corners carved with pillars headed by Egyptian busts and hieroglyphics, the pillars further carved with Egyptian motifs, all raised on a plinth base fitted with two drawers.
height 44 in.; width 5 ft. 3 in.; depth 35 ¼  in.
111.8 cm; 89.5 cm; 160 cm