Great Temple at Abousimbal
1825
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1825
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows a giant stone face carved into a cliffside, half-buried in rock. Smaller figures—people and animals—are scattered around its base, climbing or resting. The face wears a crown and has a calm expression, while the background cliff has carvings and hieroglyphs along the top edge. The artist traveled to Egypt to sketch ancient ruins like this one. Notice how the light and shadow give the stone a rough, weathered look. Look up Catherwood, Frederick to see more of his travel sketches.
