Bilder Bernard de Montfaucon (1655–1741) – Study of Egyptian Deities and Sacred Animals – Copperplate engraving (1719)

Beskrivning

This scholarly engraving presents a comparative study of various ancient Egyptian deities and sacred animals, organized into distinct horizontal registers. These illustrations were compiled from prominent 18th-century antiquarian sources, such as the collections of La Chausse and Fauvel, to provide a comprehensive visual record of Egyptian mythological and zoomorphic iconography.

Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk and a pioneering scholar who is widely considered one of the founders of modern archaeology and palaeography. A member of the Congregation of Saint Maur, he dedicated his life to the systematic study of the material remains of the past to understand ancient civilizations. His monumental ten-volume work, "L'antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures," from which this plate originates, was the first comprehensive attempt to illustrate the daily life, religion, and customs of antiquity using archaeological evidence. Montfaucon’s meticulous approach to documenting artifacts helped shift historical study from purely literary sources to the scientific analysis of physical objects and monuments.

Artist or Maker:
Bernard de Montfaucon.

Dimensions:
Approximately 42 cm x 27 cm.

Medium:
Copperplate engraving.

Date:
1719.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.