Artwork Page for Abu Simbel

Details / Information for Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel

1907

Henry Roderick Newman

(American, 1833–1918)
Culture
America
Medium
watercolor
Measurements
Image: 66 x 43 x 1.3 cm (26 x 16 15/16 x 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of William Kelly Simpson 2018.72
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

This watercolor provides a close-up view of the Abu Simbel temples, which were buried in sand until their rediscovery in the 19th century. The American artist Henry Roderick Newman portrayed their architecture in multiple drawings between 1894 and 1913. In this later work, he meticulously layered dots and other marks to capture the tonality of sand and desert light.
A vertically oriented watercolor drawing depicts a massive Egyptian temple facade rising above a steep orange sand dune. At center, colossal seated rulers with tan skin tones gaze forward. To their left, a dark doorway is flanked by smaller standing figures, below a niche containing a falcon-headed deity. Horizontal bands of hieroglyphs span the top edge. Muted purple and blue shadows define the weathered stone against the vibrant sand.

Abu Simbel

1907

Henry Roderick Newman

(American, 1833–1918)
America

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