Explorers and Artists in the Valley of the Kings: 18th and 19th Century Visions of Thebes

The west bank of the Nile opposite the modern city of Luxor, often referred to as western Thebes, is probably the richest archaeological site in the world. This area has attracted travellers since ancient times, and many have left their impressions of the monuments in the form of graffiti, historical texts, scholarly books and travel guides. Beginning even before Napoleon's expedition to Egypt in 1798, which included a large group of scholars, architects, artists and scientists, Europeans flocked to visit and record the ancient ruins of ancient Thebes. Independent scholars such as John Gardiner Wilkinson lived at Thebes for extended periods; professional Egyptologists organized scholarly expeditions to the site. The beauty of the landscape and monuments such as the Colossi of Memnon, the Ramasseum, and the royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings also inspired poets, writers and artists. This title presents some of the wealth of etchings, sketches and watercolours that were produced by European travellers to western Thebes between 1740 and 1860 and tells the story of Europe's rediscovery of the ancient civilization of Egypt.