Émile Prisse d’Avennes (1807–1879) was a French archaeologist and Egyptologist and author of the four volume-book L’Art arabe d’après les monuments du Kaire depuis le VIIe siècle jusqu’à la fin du XVIIIe, published in 1877.
In 1827, he began working in the service of the viceroy of Egypt, Mohammed Ali, as an engineer. In 1836, he left the Egyptian administration to carry out archaeological surveys and excavations. He made several large expeditions through the region on his own, and excavated and collected an important collection of ancient Egyptian art (Volait, 2013, p… Plus
Émile Prisse d’Avennes (1807–1879) was a French archaeologist and Egyptologist and author of the four volume-book L’Art arabe d’après les monuments du Kaire depuis le VIIe siècle jusqu’à la fin du XVIIIe, published in 1877.
In 1827, he began working in the service of the viceroy of Egypt, Mohammed Ali, as an engineer. In 1836, he left the Egyptian administration to carry out archaeological surveys and excavations. He made several large expeditions through the region on his own, and excavated and collected an important collection of ancient Egyptian art (Volait, 2013, p. 9; De Hond, 2013, pp. 70–71). In 1844, he returned to France and worked as author and publisher. Among other projects, he collaborated for the Oriental Album. Characters, Costumes, and Modes of Life in the Valley of the Nile, written by James Augustus St. John (1795–1875) and published in 1848. The lithographs were made from original sketches by Prisse d’Avennes.
Between 1858 and 1860, Prisse d’Avennes was back in Egypt and led a scientific expedition intended to provide material for the publication of two illustrated books, one on Pharaonic art (Histoire de l’art égyptien) and the other on Arab art (L’Art arabe). Prisse d’Avennes recruited the Dutch painter Willem de Famars Testas (1834–1896) and the French photographer Édouard Jarrot (1835–1873) to accompany him on his expedition (De Hond, 2013, pp. 69, 71).
Prisse d’Avenne’s large archive, consisting of drawings, prints, photographs, estampages, tracings, notebooks, notes and writings, is preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (département des Manuscrits, fonds Prisse d’Avennes, NAF 20416 à 29433, 20448-20449 (papers),
NAF 20434 à 20447 (iconographic documents)).
In 1877, Émile Prisse d’Avennes published his influential book L’Art arabe d’après les monuments du Kaire depuis le VIIe siècle jusqu’à la fin du XVIIIe. The plates of the first two volumes of this seminal publication had previously appeared in 1869.
Memberships:
Commission of the Egyptian Section of the World’s Fair 1867
Association littéraire d’Égypte / Egyptian Literary Association, founded in 1842 by Prisse d’Avennes and Henry Abbott
Moins
De Hond, J. (2013). "Ceci aura néanmoins probablement son utilité": Willem de Famars Testas au Caire, 1858-1860. In: M. Volait (ed.), Le Caire dessiné et photographié au XIXe siècle (pp. 69-94). Paris: Picard.
St. John, James Augustus (1848). Oriental album. Characters, costumes and modes of life, in the valley of the Nile. Illustrated from designs taken on the spot, by E. Prisse. With descriptive lettrer-press, by James Augustus St John, author of "Egypt and Mohammed Ali", and "Manners and customs of ancient Greece". London: James Madden.
Volait, M. (ed.)(2013). Émile Prisse d’Avennes (1807–1879). Un artiste-antiquaire en Égypte au XIXᵉ siècle. Le Caire: IFAO.
