Antique Print-EGYPT-DIGIRGA-DIGURGA-NILE-DJIRDIEH-GIRGE-Pera-Denon-1802

This print shows a view of Djirdieh or Girge, or Digirga or Digurga is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt located on the west bank of the Nile. It is the metropolitan see of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and is the oldest continuously-inhabited city on the African continent.

Made by Giovanni Pera after Vinant Denon.

Medium: Aquatint etching on handlaid (verge) paper.

Sheet size: 35.2 x 18 cm (13.86 x 7.09 inch). Image size: 23.8 x 10.2 cm. (9.37 x 4.02 inch).

Condition: good, given age. Bownish on reverse. Remains of tapeglue on reverse. Creases. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.

EGYPT-DIGIRGA-DIGURGA-NILE-OLDEST INHABITED CITY AFRICA-COPTIC CHURCH | RBOS-A11-10

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Vinant Denon was the author of the book: ‘Voyage dans la basse et la haute Egypte’ (‘Journey in Lower and Upper Egypt’), 1802, the prints where derived from.

Biography engraver: Giovanni Pera (1799-1839) was an Italian engraver.

Biography artist: Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon (1747-1825) was a French artist, writer, diplomat, author, and archaeologist. Denon was a diplomat for France under Louis XV and Louis XVI. He was appointed as the first Director of the Louvre museum by Napoleon after the Egyptian campaign of 1798-1801, and is commemorated in the Denon Wing of the modern museum and in the Dominique-Vivant Denon Research Center. His two-volume Voyage dans la basse et la haute Egypte (‘Journey in Lower and Upper Egypt’), 1802, was foundational for modern Egyptology.