Meretseger Books

Description de l'Egypte. Ou Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Egypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française. Imperial Edition, complete in 23 volumes.

JOMARD Edme François (editor) et alii

Item #M5946

Unique. Complete set of 23 volumes, the Imperial Edition published in Paris on the orders of Napoleon I, first by the Imprimerie Impériale, between 1809 and 1813, then by the Imprimerie Royale from 1817 to 1830. 23 volumes, of which 9 of text in-folio (440 x 275 mm), 11 large in-folio format 'Jésus' (720 x 540 mm) - 1 volume of Préface and explanation of the plates and 10 volumes of plates - and 3 elephant folio volumes of plates format 'grand aigle' (1090 x 707 mm). Binding by Tessier, who under the Restauration was the bookbinder of the Duke of Orléans (with Tessier's plate in the 'Préface' volume), in blue cloth with gilded titles on orange leather pièces-de-titres. A uniquely well preserved set with only very rare foxing, all plates and pages are very clean. The set is complete, all the 894 plates are present, of which 57 are in color and 3 are in bistre. Exceptionally, this set has the 14 plates of ornithology coloured as well. This exceptional set once belonged to AMABLE-GUILLAUME PROSPER BARON DE BARANTE (1785-1866) and is preserved in an elegant acajou furniture in the Louis-Philippe style.
After giving up on the planned invasion of the British Isles in 1797, Bonaparte wrote to Bourienne : "If the success of an invasion of England looks doubtful, as I fear it, the Army of England will become the Army of the Orient, and I go to Egypt". The Institut National de France had been founded in 1795 with the aim of "collecting... the discoveries, improve arts and sciences". An expedition to Egypt was proposed by Talleyrand and despite the resistance of the Directoire, the expedition of the Orient was finally constituted on April 12th, 1798. Napoleon left with 280 ships, 54,000 men and the best generals, not only his companions of the Italian campaign: Berthier, Murat, Lannes, Davout, Marmont, Duroc, but also with Kléber and Desaix. Bonaparte had a true interest in sciences: he had been elected a member of the Institut National in the section for physical sciences and mathematics. Monge, Berthollet, Fourier, Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire... altogether 150 scholars joined enthusiastically the Commission des Sciences et Arts de l’Armée d’Orient. In this commission, all branches of science were represented, thus a large scientific and artistic material was put on board of the ships in Toulon: laboratory of physics, aerostation material, chemistry cabinet, surgical instruments, as well as a printing press. While the military expedition resulted in a disaster, the results of the scientific and artistic work gave birth to the Description de l’Égypte. Published over more than 20 years mostly by the scholars and artists who had taken part in the Expédition, the Description de l'Egypte became the largest and most beautiful publication of the 19th century. Language: French. Relevant subjects: Egypt: Travelers & Egyptologists, Old Kingdom & 1st IP, Middle Kingdom & 2nd IP, New Kingdom, 3rd IP, Greco-Roman, Language, Texts & Writing, Pyramids, Tombs, Temples & Towns.

Language: French.

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