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Ancient Tartyris, Upper Egypt by David Roberts
Ancient Tartyris, Upper Egypt
Ancient Tartyris, Upper Egypt by David Roberts
Ancient Tartyris, Upper Egypt by David Roberts

Ancient Tartyris, Upper Egypt

Artist (Edinburgh, Scotland, 1796 - 1864)
Date1848
Mediumpencil and watercolour on paper
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsSight Size: Height: 48.2 cm, Width: 34 cm
Frame: Height: 80.2 cm, Width: 57.5 cm
AcquisitionPurchased in 1939 with income from the Webster Bequest.
CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDAG003840
About MeDavid Roberts' artistic career took him all over the world but no other place inspired him to such an extent as Egypt and the Holy Land, which he first visited in 1838-9. From this point on, he returned almost annually to paint for friends or exhibitions and his passion for the ancient world never dwindled.

Roberts began recording these ancient sites before travel or photography had become popular, and his art is a form of reportage as well as romanticism. The majority of people had never seen the places he depicted and his faithful renderings of these far off exotic lands captured the imagination of his audience. The result of hundreds of sketches and paintings was a series named 'The Holy land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia and Egypt.' This particular scene is the Temple of the Egyptian Goddess Hathor in Dendera.


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This work combines elements of reportage with romanticism, as it was painted before travelling or photography became popular. This particular scene is the Temple of the Egyptian Goddess Hathor in Dendera.