Abydos, Egypt

Abydos is one of the oldest of the sacred cities of Ancient Egypt and was the site of a number of important tombs and temples including the Temple of Seti I. Lear visited Abydos during his third visit to Egypt in 1867. His earlier trips had taken place much earlier, in 1849 and 1853-4. He travelled up the Nile as far as the Second Cataract, and into what was then Nubia before returning to Cairo.

This watercolour would have been painted in the studio on Lear's return from Egypt and based on the on the-spot studies made during his travels.