2 Nov 2004
14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street
Travel and Topographical Pictures
Back to auction 11408
Travel and Topographical Pictures
Back to auction 11408
Howard Carter (British, 1874-1939)
A Mastaba behind the Pyramid of Khufu, Giza
signed 'Howard Carter' and dated 1906, inscribed on mount 'A Mastaba behind the 2nd pyramid' and dedicated 'To Mr Meredith with Howard Carter's compliments and Xmas greetings'
watercolour heightened with bodycolour
21.6 x 29.8 cm. (8 1/2 x 11 3/4 in.)
signed 'Howard Carter' and dated 1906, inscribed on mount 'A Mastaba behind the 2nd pyramid' and dedicated 'To Mr Meredith with Howard Carter's compliments and Xmas greetings'
watercolour heightened with bodycolour
21.6 x 29.8 cm. (8 1/2 x 11 3/4 in.)
Sold for
£6,931
inc. premium
Footnotes
- A Mastaba is an Egyptian tomb of rectangular design and these were the resting place of many officials and other dignitaries. The depicted tomb lies in the shadow of the great Pyramid of Khufu in what is sometimes called 'the eastern Mastaba field'.
Howard Carter first visited Egypt in 1891 at the age of seventeen and in 1892 was invited to join Flinders Petrie during his excavations at El-Amarna. In 1900 Carter was appointed Chief Inspector of Antiquities to the Egyptian Government, but in 1905 he was forced to resign following a labour relations dispute.
It was in 1909 that Carter began work with the Earl of Carnarvon who had decided to finance some archaeological work in Egypt. In 1914 Carnarvon had managed to secure a fifteen year concession to excavate in the Valley of the Kings, initially the results were disappointing, but on 4th November 1922 the first steps leading to the tomb of Tutankhamun were discovered.
Category: Fine Art / Travel Pictures
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