Original Antique Print of Persepolis Reliefs, Vessels and Column Capital, 1780

This is an original antique copper engraving, published in 1780, from the second volume of Carsten Niebuhr's travels. The plate carries no title or caption; several reliefs and architectural details are set on one wide sheet and keyed with small letters.

At the left, in the panel lettered e, a bearded man in a long robe grips a rearing beast by its single horn and drives a short blade into its body; the beast has a long eared head, a scaled or feathered chest and taloned hind legs. In the center panel, c, a bearded figure in a tall crown holding a staff walks under a parasol; two attendants follow, one holding up the parasol and the other a long staff with a curved tip.

In the narrow panel to the right, small objects are drawn separately and lettered f, g, k, i and h: a pointed staff head, a bucket with a handle, a trumpet shaped piece, a cup on a stem and a sphere with a loop. Below them, at d, a bearded man puts his arm around a lion standing upright beside him and holds a knife in his other hand. At the right of the sheet stand b, a fluted column shaft on a bell shaped base, and a, a tall capital with double volutes above a bell shaped member. The lower left margin is signed C. J. de Huyser direx. 1778., and the plate number Tab. XXV. 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 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 left and right edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. Folding plate, original center fold as issued. All four corners are present.

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