{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O148228"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O148228/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1193/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU1193/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU1193","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O148228/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O148228","accessionNumber":"SD.852","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"A Kanja on the Nile at Luxor, with the Temple of Luxor behind","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Artist, writer, linguist, traveller, archaeologist and engineer, Prisse d' Avennes was one of those versatile and colourful characters who enliven the history of the nineteenth century. Like his fellow countrymen, Coste and Linant de Bellefonds, his skills were employed by Muhammad Ali to assist in the modernisation of Egypt, but his impatience with authority soon caused him to strike out on his own. In the late 1830s and early 1840s he acquired a reputation among European travellers for his knowledge of, and skill in copying the inscriptions and reliefs in the ancient temples and tombs at Thebes (Luxor), as well as for his more individual and lively topographical views. The watercolour shown here was one of many commissions that Prisse received, in this case from an unidentified British tourist, 'J.W.P.', who flew a Red Ensign at the stern of his hired kanja. The boat is moored beside the east bank of the Nile on the other side of which is an island, Gazirat Saad, and behind this a hill, Gabal Qurnat; between the palm trees can just be discerned the Colossi of Memnon. \r\n\r\nWhen Prisse returned to France in 1844 he furthered his reputation as an Egyptologist with several publications, including the monumental and lavishly illustrated L'Histoire de I'Art  Egyptien (3 vols, 1858-77). In addition, during a return visit to Egypt in 1858-60, he devoted himself to the serious study of its Islamic culture, which culminated in another sumptuous publication, L'Art Arabe (4 vols, 1869-77).","physicalDescription":"Watercolour drawing","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Prisse d'Avennes, Achille-Constant-Théodore-Emile","id":"A19339"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour drawing","id":"x37878"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour, on card","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"French School","id":"x31263"},{"text":"Orientalism","id":"x31272"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BU1193"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SC","shelf":"30","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1838-1843","earliest":"1833-01-01","latest":"1843-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"35.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed on the back Luqsor J P's Boat and Prisse(L) vue at Luxor with the ashats boat","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"The Union Flag at the stern of the kanja indicates that `J.P.' was a British traveller. \r\nB. Llewellyn, `Victorian Tourists on the Nile', Art and Artists, May 1983; B. Llewellyn, `Changing Views of the Middle East  Watercolours from the Searight Collection', The Antique Dealer and Collectors Guide, September 1983, pp.52-3.","briefDescription":"Watercolour, A Kanja on the Nile at Luxor, with the Temple of Luxor behind, about 1838-1843. Achille-Constant-Théodore-Emile Prisse d'Avennes","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Conner, Patrick (ed). The Inspiration of Egypt : its influence on British artists, travellers, and designers, 1700-1900 . Brighton Borough Council, Brighton, 1983","id":"AUTH351232"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},{"text":"Nile","id":"x41314"},{"text":"Luxor","id":"x40874"},{"text":"Thebes","id":"x29219"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Dahabiyyahs","id":"x41350"},{"text":"Kanjah","id":"x41850"},{"text":"Temples","id":"AAT7595"},{"text":"Travellers","id":"AAT25879"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["SD.852"],"accessionNumberNum":"852","accessionNumberPrefix":"SD","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-18","recordCreationDate":"2008-03-26","availableToBook":false}}