Egypt & Nubia From Drawings Made On The Spot By David Roberts R.A. With Historical Descriptions By William Brockedon, F.R.S. Lithographed By Louis Haghe. Vol. I.

RA Collection: Book

Record number

05/611

Variant Title

Egypt And Nubia

Imprint

London,: F.G. Moon, 20, Threadneedle Street, Publisher In Ordinary To Her Majesty., MDCCCXLVI. (- MDCCCXLIX.), Day & Haghe (Day & Son) Lith^rs. to the Queen.

Physical Description

3 vols.; 605 mm.

General Note

Vol. I: [2], 8, [42] p., t.pl., [21] pl. (incl. frontis.): [21] illus. (Some plates in this volume carry numbers, viz. pl. [2] the number 18, [4] number 4; [5] number 8; [6] number 14; [7] number 16; [8] number 2; [10] number 22; [12] number 10.) (Abbey describes a copy having a dedication (1 leaf, verso blank).) - Vol. II: [44] p., t.pl., [21] pl. (incl. frontis.), map: [21] illus. - Vol. III: [38] p., frontis., t.pl., [18] pl.: [18] illus. - (In each volume each plate is preceded by a leaf of letterpress text which on its verso carries a description of the plate and on its recto carries an illustration and a description of the illustration. In the case of the first and second volumes the last plate is bound in as a frontispiece, and is thereby separated from its descriptive text.)

Vol. I: [Frontis., t.pl.] - Entrance To The Great Temple At Aboo-Simbel, Nubia. Title Vignette - Egypt. An Introduction - [Plates and illustrated texts]. - Vol. II: [Frontis., t.pl.] - List Of Subjects. Vol. I. (II.) - Title Vignette To Vol. II - [Plates and illustrated texts]. - Vol. III: [Frontis., t.pl.] - Title Vignette To Vol. III.; Vol. III. List Of Subjects; Interview With Mehemet Ali In His Palace At Alexandria - [Plates, and illustrated texts].

Responsibility Note

Almost all plates and in-text illustrations are signed by David Roberts R.A., and as lithographed by Louis Haghe. The title-plates carry also the imprint of the lithographic printers, Day & Haghe (Vol. I) or Day & Son (second and third vols.).

Each plate and most in-text illustrations carry the publisher's imprint of F.G. Moon.

References

Travel In Aquatint And Lithography 1770-1860 From The Library Of J.R. Abbey ... A Bibliographical Catalogue Volume I (repr. 1991), no. 272, p.244-7; J.M. Friedman, Color Printing in England 1486 - 1870 [exhibition catalogue] (1978), no. 133, p.47; R.V. Tooley, English Books With Coloured Plates 1790 To 1860 A Bibliographical Account (1954, repr. 1987), no. 402, p.324-7.

M. Twyman, Lithography 1800-1850 (1970), esp. p.220-5.

Summary Note

The publication-date of 1846 is given on the title-plate of Volume I, and the publication-date of 1 August 1846 is also carried by pl. [1-12] and in-text illustrations [1-12]; but pl. 13-20 and in-text illustrations [13-21] carry publication-dates of 1847 (1 March, 8 March, 1 May). In the second volume the publication-date of 1849 is given on the title-plate; and all plates and in-text illustrations carry publication-dates of 1846, 1847, 1848, while the map carries the date of 1849 in its caption. In the third volume the publication-date of 1849 is carried on the title-plate; and all plates and in-text illustrations carry publication-dates of 1848 or 1849.

The title of the first volume ends with the words 'Vol. I'; but that of the second volume ends 'Vol.' with a number apparently deleted; and that of the third volume lacks the word 'Vol.' altogether. The work is a sequel to The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt & Nubia. From Drawings Made On The Spot Bt David Roberts R.A. ... Vol. I. (2.) (1842-3).

The plates show views of ancient monuments (Philae, Aboo-Simbel, Geezeh, Luxor, Karnak, Thebes etc.) and of modern buildings in Cairo and Alexandria. The map in the second volume is of the Nile valley and is captioned 'Map To Illustrate The Sketches Of David Roberts Esq: R.A. In Egypt And Nubia. 1849'. The frontispiece of the third volume shows an interview between Pasha Mehemet Ali and Col. (afterwards Gen.) Patrick Campbell accompanied by David Roberts and others.

Most of the lithographs were printed with two tint stones, usually blue for sky and neutral for foreground. Roberts's method of working with transparent washes over pencil outlines was well suited to reproduction by lithography.

Binding Note

19th-century half pigskin, blue cloth-covered boards; spines lettered 'Roberts' Egypt And Nubia Vol. I.(-III.)', 'R.A.' and '1846 (-1849)'.

Name as Subject

David Roberts RA

Subject

Architecture - Antiquities, Egyptian - Ruins - Public buildings - Mosques - Egypt - Nile River Valley - History
Drawings - 19th century
Views - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Lithographs - Colour printing - Great Britain - 19th century

Contributors

David Roberts RA, source artist
Louis Haghe, lithographer
Sir Francis Graham Moon 1st baronet, publisher
William Brockedon
Day and Haghe (London), lithographic printer
Day and Son, lithographic printer