Antique View of the Ruins of Persepolis, Niebuhr Engraving, 1780

This is an original antique copper engraving, published in 1780, from the second volume of Carsten Niebuhr's travels. The caption below the view reads in Dutch Gezigt der overblyfzels van PERSEPOLIS. and in French Vûe des ruines de Persepolis., both meaning "View of the ruins of Persepolis."

The view looks across the ruins spread over the plain. At the right center a group of tall standing columns rises from a raised platform with steps, and at the far right stand gateway piers carved with figures. In the foreground the walls of a large square building open toward the viewer, with a single doorway standing in the front and broken doorways and window frames around it; ruined buildings with doorways stand on platforms at the left. Many of the ruins carry small key letters, among them B, C, D, E, K, L, M, N and O.

Small figures, a group with pack animals at the left center and travelers among the walls give the scale, and a spiky plant fills the lower left corner. Low mountains close the horizon, and clusters of village houses are drawn on the plain, the group at the right lettered Mîrgascûn. Clouds fill the sky above. The lower left margin is signed C. Philips Jacobs f., and the plate number Tab: XIX. is engraved at the upper right.

The plate comes from the second volume, Tome Second, of Carsten Niebuhr's Voyage en Arabie & en d'autres Pays circonvoisins, Traduit de l'Allemand, published by S. J. Baalde at Amsterdam and Barthelemy Wild at Utrecht, with the date MDCCLXXX, 1780, on its title page. Carsten Niebuhr (1733 to 1815) was a German born surveyor in Danish service and the only member of the Danish expedition to Arabia (1761 to 1767), sent by King Frederick V of Denmark, to return alive. The expedition's artist, Georg Wilhelm Baurenfeind, died at sea in 1763.

Light uneven toning, browner toward the edges. Marked handling soiling along the bottom, left and right edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. Folding plate, original center fold as issued. Slight wear at the bottom right corner.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.