Artwork Page for The Great Temple of Abu Simbel

Details / Information for The Great Temple of Abu Simbel

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel

before 1943

Walter Frederick Roofe Tyndale

(British, born Belgium, 1855–1943)
Culture
England, 19th-20th century
Medium
Watercolor and wash, with white highlights
Measurements
Sheet: 46.3 x 33.9 cm (18 1/4 x 13 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of William Kelly Simpson 2018.73
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

The British artist Walter Frederick Roofe Tyndale made repeated trips to Egypt beginning in the late 19th century. While there, he was inspired by the Abu Simbel temples, seen in this drawing, which feature relief portraits of Ramses the Great and his queen Nefertari. Here, Tyndale contrasted the massive temple with figures standing before it to give a sense of its epic scale.
A vertically oriented watercolor and wash drawing depicts four colossal Egyptian statues and three people at the base of a tan cliffside. On our far left, one statue remains mostly intact; adjacent, the second is broken at the chest. Small figures stand at their feet. Below, three people with medium skin tones and traditional robes rest among sunlit rocks. Sunlight casts long shadows across the monuments under a pale, cloudless blue sky.

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel

before 1943

Walter Frederick Roofe Tyndale

(British, born Belgium, 1855–1943)
England, 19th-20th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork