Plate 175 Colossi at Wady Saboua - After David Roberts
Roberts drew this composition on the 6th November 1838.
'Two enormous statues stood guard in front of the pylon, terminating the long access dromos to the temple, and two more, portraying Rameses II with the headgear and emblems of the god Osiris, stood at the start of the avenue. Only the Colossus, which Roberts portrayed standing, now survives; the others have been stolen or destroyed. The statue portrays the sovereign with the symbol of Amun-Ra, a long stick that ends in a ram's head surmounted by the solar disk and the uraeus, the sacred cobra that symbolised light and sovereignty. Rameses is wearing the Nubian hairstyle of fine plaits, with a narrow band around his head and the uraeus on his forehead. The Temple of Wadi Saboua is the only Nubian sanctuary whose dromos has survived, though only in part.
Before the temple was rebuilt in an area 198 feet higher than the original site, this avenue led directly from the bank of the Nile to the sanctuary. Roberts stayed at Wadi Saboua all day on November 6, and set off the next morning for Abu Simbel after measuring and drawing properly the ruins of the sanctuary. On several occasions the Scotsman wrote of how much he enjoyed the long hours spent sailing down the great river, and not only because of the splendid landscape; he was also exceedingly proud of leading a crew of such skilled men. He often observed the bright Union Jack fluttering from the mast with equal pleasure especially when they passed other vessels flying weatherworn flags or the crescent of the pasha of Egypt.' [1]
Roberts wrote in his journal on the 5th-6th November 1838 'The thermometer 96 degrees in the shade, no wind. In the evening a slight breeze sprang up and in the morning of the 6th we found ourselves within a short distance of the ruined temple of Wady Saboua. A great portion of this temple is buried in the sand. There was an avenue of sphinxes, with two colossal figures, fourteen feet in height, in front of the dromos, one of which I sketched. They are similar to those in the British Museum.' [2]
The drawings and watercolours from this tour by David Roberts of the Holy Land and Egypt were collated together into folios and released over a seven-year period by the publisher F.G. Moon from 20 Threadneedle Street London. This lithograph was published on May 1st 1847.
Medium: Original First Edition Lithograph, with later hand-colouring on thick woven paper.
Half Plate 175.
Inscribed l.r. 'David Roberts R.A. L Haghe Lith' and l.l. 'Colossus in front of Temple of Wady Saboua Nubia', 34.7 x 24.3cm (lithograph size), mounted (50.7 x 39.4cm).
References:
[1] Fabio Bourbon (ed). Yesterday and Today: Egypt. Swan Hill Press: London, 1996, p.62. Translated by A.B.A. Milano.
[2] David Roberts's Journal, 5th-6th November 1838.
Condition report: very good for its age. A few small markings and time staining, please see photos. Recently put into a new acid free mount.