Pyramides de Memphis, Vue du Sphinx et de la grande pyramide, prise du sud-est

This engraving is from volume 5 of the Description, which is dedicated to the pyramids of Memphis. The Sphinx and the Pyramids have been must-see destinations on any Oriental journey since the second half of the 18th century. What makes this depiction unusual is its decidedly objective nature: the Sphinx appears as a monument only just revealed by archaeological excavations, while its face and neck show clear damage and thus point to its long history. The little Napoleon-like figure in the foreground not only emphasizes the dimensions of the monument, but also signals the presence of a colonial expedition.

Pyramides de Memphis: Vue du Sphinx et de la grande pyramide, prise du sud-est, unknown artist, in: M. (Edme-François) Jomard (1777–1862) (ed.): Description de l'Égypte: ou, Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française, Paris 1809–1828; source: The New York Public Library, New York Public Library Digital Collections, public domain.