Bilder Bernard de Montfaucon (1655–1741) – The Cynocephalus and the Sphinx – Engraving (1719–1724)

Beskrivning

This engraving depicts a collection of four ancient Egyptian statues, titled Le Cynocephale et les Sphinx. The upper section features a large, detailed bust of a cynocephalus, or dog-headed baboon, shown in profile with one hand raised in a ritualistic gesture. To its left is a smaller representation of a ba-spirit, depicted as a bird with a human head topped by a lunar disc. The lower portion of the plate illustrates two distinct styles of sphinxes: a smaller, frontal-facing sphinx and a pair of larger, recumbent sphinxes resting on bases covered in hieroglyphic inscriptions. These artifacts are presented as scientific records of ancient Egyptian zoomorphic deities and funerary sculpture, documented with high fidelity to preserve their symbolic and architectural form. This illustration was published as a technical plate for L'antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures, a monumental work aimed at documenting the material culture and customs of the ancient world through visual evidence.

Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk and a pioneering scholar who is widely considered one of the founders of modern archaeology and paleography. His most famous contribution, the multi-volume L'antiquité expliquée, was an exhaustive effort to categorize ancient civilizations using thousands of engraved plates, effectively creating the first pictorial encyclopedia of the classical world. Montfaucon’s work was revolutionary in its use of visual documentation as a primary historical source, influencing generations of historians and art collectors. His dedication to systematic research and the preservation of historical artifacts through illustration helped bridge the gap between early antiquarianism and scientific archaeological study.

Artist or Maker: Bernard de Montfaucon .

Dimensions: Approximately 42 cm x 25 cm.

Medium: Engraving .

Date: 1719–1724

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.