A Blog of Bosh

Edward Lear, The Quarries of Assouan, Egypt.
Inscribed Quarries of Assouan / Am-11.30 1. pm / February 27. 1867. lower left; further inscribed with extensive artists colour notes. Pen and brown ink over pencil, heightened with watercolour and bodycolour. Unframed: 28.9 by 53cm., 11¾ by 20¾in. Framed: 54.7 by 77.5cm., 21½ by 30½in.

Provenance
Mrs R.K. Judges
The Fine Art Society, London, by 1993
Acquired from the above by Martin R. Davies, Bristol

This large-scale on the spot drawing dates from Lear’s second and final Nile trip of 1867. Lear had arrived in Cairo at the beginning of the year. He quickly moved onto Luxor, where he met up this cousin Archie Jones. The pair travelled down the Nile where they reached their most southern point, the second cataract, on 4 February.

They stopped at Aswan for two days and Lear made a series of drawings, including the present work which shows the ancient granite quarries. The drawing is topographically very accurate, its most important feature being the unfinished obelisk shown in the background.

Sotheby’s.