Artwork
Pyramids and Sphinx - Sun setting
Pyramids and Sphinx - Sun setting is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Unknown. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Pyramids and Sphinx - Sun setting is a drawing circa 1830, originally created for illustration purposes in Michael Russell’s 1831 publication View of Ancient and Modern Egypt. It is one of seven sketches based on earlier French engravings.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a serene desert landscape at sunset, featuring three pyramids in the background, the Sphinx by a river in the foreground, alongside workers and animals engaged in laborious activities, conveying a sense of tranquil industriousness.
Technique & Style
The artwork employs thin, repeated lines, characteristic of the cross-hatching technique popular during the period, to achieve textured shadows and dimensional forms, lending the scene depth and visual interest.
History & Provenance
Initially attributed to Joseph Schranz, this drawing is actually adapted from an engraving (Volume V, Plate 8) in the Description de l'Égypte (1809–22), with the original engraving credited to Branston.
Context
Created for View of Ancient and Modern Egypt, it reflects early 19th-century European interest in Egyptian antiquities, facilitated by sources like Description de l'Égypte, a seminal work from Napoleon’s Egyptian expedition.
Artist & collection
