Measured Drawings of an Obelisk, Pyramids and Column, Niebuhr, 1776

This is an original antique copper engraving from 1776, a plate of measured drawings. It carries no title or caption; the sheet is described here from what is drawn, its parts keyed with the letters A to E.

At the upper left, C is an obelisk drawn in outline with construction lines running from its tip to a baseline, the points lettered a to g. At the upper right, D is a pyramid on a rocky rise with sight lines drawn from the point d beside it to the points a and b on the plain below. Across the middle, E shows two pyramids standing on rough ground, joined by dotted sight lines and lettered with points from a to n. Below, two square plans of pyramids with their faces shaded and their corners lettered are tied to the views above by a dotted line, and are also marked E. At the center, B is a round plan with three square chambers projecting from it and an opening at the bottom, and at the right, A is a tall column with a flaring capital and a band around the shaft.

The credit C. J. de Huyser, direx. f. is lettered under the lower right corner, and the plate number Tab: V. is engraved at the upper right.

The plate comes from the first volume of Voyage en Arabie & en d'autres Pays circonvoisins, the French translation of Carsten Niebuhr's account, its title page reading TOME PREMIER. Traduit de l'Allemand. A AMSTERDAM, chez S. J. BAALDE. A UTRECHT, chez J. VAN SCHOONHOVEN & COMP. MDCCLXXVI. 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 account was first published in German at Copenhagen; this is the French translation printed in Amsterdam and Utrecht.

Light uneven toning, browner toward the edges. Handling soiling along the bottom, right and top edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. Light creases across the sheet. A pencil number on the reverse shows faintly at the lower left.

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