1875 Carl Werner's Nile Sketches

Description

First Edition, Illustrated, Publishers' Original Binding, Very Scarce

Preserved in the original cloth binding, and unusual in this complete state. With all twenty-four chromolithographic plates and the lithographic map. The plates all retain their original captioned tissue guard. The plates have retained their brightness and paint a beautiful picture of Egypt. The preface reads as amorous praise to Egypt and vividly describes the natural beauty of the 'palms and sycamores, oligroves and acacia-bushes' in addition to the 'long and interrupted line of monuments which point it out as the birthplace of civilization... among the works of ancient Egyptians there are such as are even in our days unparalleled'. With half-title. Collated, complete. The title page notes this work as the 'Photographic-Edition and is patented by Gustav W Seitz publishers. Each plate is accompanied by text by renowned German zoologist Alfred Edmund Brehn and noted Egyptologist, Johannes Dumichen. Dumichen devoted his life to the study of Egyptian inscriptions and travelled widely around the country, resulting in many of his own publications. Brehn undertook an expedition alongside the ornithologist Johann Wilhelm von Muller to Egypt and the Sudan. Therefore, the descriptions to this work are from a great authority on Egypt at the time. Brehn and Dumichen state to the preface that 'In giving some explanations of these pictures of the celebrates artist we hope to gratify those wo (sic) have not seen Egypt, and remind those, who have wandered on the banks of the Nile of pictures and scenes perhaps long forgotten or faintly remembered, while possibly the explanations may serve to call their attention to points, which have hitherto escaped their own observation'. A very scarce example of this important collection of illustrations demonstrating everyday life in nineteenth century Egypt, which is accompanied by an equally important textual context.