Artwork

Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: Dakke, in Nubia

Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: Dakke, in Nubia, by Louis Haghe, 1846
Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: Dakke, in Nubia, by Louis Haghe, 1846

Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: Dakke, in Nubia is a print by the Romanticist artist Louis Haghe. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

The temple’s ruins stand out against a hazy background, giving the whole image a quiet, distant feel.

This sketch shows a group of four people sitting on the ground in front of an old, crumbling temple. The temple has tall, broken pillars and a flat roof, with some walls still standing. The people are dressed in loose robes, and the scene looks dry and sandy.

The temple’s ruins stand out against a hazy background, giving the whole image a quiet, distant feel. The artist drew this in 1846 as part of a series about Egypt and Nubia.

Next, check out Romanticism to see how this style often focused on ancient or faraway places.

Overview

Louis Haghe’s 1846 lithograph, *Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: Dakke, in Nubia*, records a ruined temple in the Nubian landscape. The image presents four figures seated before the decayed structure, its broken columns and flat roof silhouetted against a hazy horizon, conveying a sense of stillness and distance.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes human presence with ancient decay, highlighting the contrast between contemporary travelers in loose robes and the timeless remnants of a once‑grand temple. The barren, sandy setting underscores the passage of time and the fragility of monumental architecture.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithographic print, the work reflects the detailed line work and tonal gradations typical of mid‑19th‑century British lithography. Haghe’s background in watercolor informs the subtle shading, while the overall atmosphere aligns with Romantic interests in exotic, historic locales.

History & Provenance

Born in Tournai in 1806, Haghe trained in watercolor before co‑founding the London lithographic firm Day & Haghe around 1830. This print forms part of a larger series documenting architectural and landscape views across Nubia, produced for publication in a multi‑volume work on Egypt and Nubia.

Context

The image belongs to a period when European artists and scholars were increasingly drawn to the ancient sites of the Near East. Such visual records served both scientific documentation and the Romantic fascination with distant, historic landscapes.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Louis Haghe

Artist

Louis Haghe

Louis Haghe (17 March 1806 – 9 March 1885) was a lithographer and watercolourist from the Netherlands and then the United Kingdom.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.