An important arrival

Details

Willem de Famars Testas (Dutch, 1834-1896)
An important arrival
signed with initials 'WT' (lower right) and signed again on the reverse
pencil and watercolour on paper, unframed
12.5 x 18 cm.; and a drawing of the Temple of Aboshek in Abu Simbel dated 1859 by the same hand, unframed (2)

Special notice

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Lot Essay

Please compare the watercolour with a squared preliminary pencil drawing in the collection of the Teylers Museum, Haarlem. (M.J. Raven, Willem de Famars Testas-Reisschetsen uit Egypte 1858-1860, 's-Gravenhage 1988, p. 38, ill.)
The pencil drawing in the present lot depicts the small temple of Abu Simbel, built by Ramses II (1290-1224) for his wife Nefertari and both depicted on the facade. The tempels of Abu Simbel marked the turning point of Testas' journey down the Nile during his first expedition of 1858-1860.

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