Impressions of the Orient. Travelers in Egypt in the 19th century.
Actes Sud / Wandering| N° d'inventaire | 25581 |
| Format | 20 x 26 |
| Détails | 212 p., illustrated, bound. |
| Publication | Arles, 2022 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782877729796 |
There were nights when, on the sacred lake of the temple, the divine boats sailed. It seems that, on certain nights, a golden boat emerges from the waters of the lake, all resplendent as of old, and the king who drives it is made of pure gold, while the sailors are made of silver.
In the 19th century, the legendary barges gave way to cruise ships on the Nile, but for travelers, the dream remained intact. The texts gathered here prove it. They are drawn from the abundant French-language literature devoted to travel in Egypt in the 19th century. These literary testimonies are accompanied by a rich iconography, ranging from Antonio Beato to Francis Frith, including the Adli and Gaddis collections.
At the very beginning of the century, adventurers and looters of ancient sites obviously left only very rare testimonies. But very quickly, they were followed by personalities eager to comment on their journey. These were scholars on missions, philosophers, historians, Egyptologists and archaeologists, novelists, poets, and painters.
All these visitors have very different motivations. Some scholars or men of letters, like Constantin Volney or Joseph Michaud, want to form an opinion on the socio-economic situation of the country. Very different is the case of those passionate about ancient Egypt and those who fulfill a scientific mission, like Nesto L'Hôte who accompanies Champollion. Some seek to be invested with a feminist mission, like the Saint-Simonian Suzqanne Voilquin. Scholars like Gaston Maspero and Georges Legrain have a more familiar approach to the country and its inhabitants.
There were nights when, on the sacred lake of the temple, the divine boats sailed. It seems that, on certain nights, a golden boat emerges from the waters of the lake, all resplendent as of old, and the king who drives it is made of pure gold, while the sailors are made of silver.
In the 19th century, the legendary barges gave way to cruise ships on the Nile, but for travelers, the dream remained intact. The texts gathered here prove it. They are drawn from the abundant French-language literature devoted to travel in Egypt in the 19th century. These literary testimonies are accompanied by a rich iconography, ranging from Antonio Beato to Francis Frith, including the Adli and Gaddis collections.
At the very beginning of the century, adventurers and looters of ancient sites obviously left only very rare testimonies. But very quickly, they were followed by personalities eager to comment on their journey. These were scholars on missions, philosophers, historians, Egyptologists and archaeologists, novelists, poets, and painters.
All these visitors have very different motivations. Some scholars or men of letters, like Constantin Volney or Joseph Michaud, want to form an opinion on the socio-economic situation of the country. Very different is the case of those passionate about ancient Egypt and those who fulfill a scientific mission, like Nesto L'Hôte who accompanies Champollion. Some seek to be invested with a feminist mission, like the Saint-Simonian Suzqanne Voilquin. Scholars like Gaston Maspero and Georges Legrain have a more familiar approach to the country and its inhabitants.