Who painted Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua?

Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua was painted by Louis Haghe in 1838.

Where can I see Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua?

Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua?

Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua

Louis Haghe , 1838

Egypt and Nubia: Volume II - No. 7, Colossi at Wady Saboua is a print by the Romanticist artist Louis Haghe. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Created in 1838, this lithographic print records the monumental stone figures that once stood at Wadi Sabua in Egypt.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1838, this lithographic print records the monumental stone figures that once stood at Wadi Sabua in Egypt.

Created in 1838, this lithographic print records the monumental stone figures that once stood at Wadi Sabua in Egypt. The image presents a towering royal statue positioned before a temple entrance, surrounded by four diminutive figures—two adults and two children—who gaze upward, one child gesturing toward the monument while another clutches a shield. A broken statue head lies at their feet, emphasizing the site’s ruinous state.

Subject & Meaning

The composition highlights the contrast between the colossal ruler’s enduring presence and the fleeting human scale of the surrounding observers. By including children and adults, the artist suggests a continuity of reverence across generations, while the shattered head hints at the passage of time and the loss of ancient grandeur.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the work bears a loose, sketch‑like quality reminiscent of a travel journal. The line work is rapid and expressive, conveying the immediacy of on‑site observation rather than a polished studio rendering. This approach aligns the piece with the Romantic fascination for dramatic, untamed landscapes and historic ruins.

History & Provenance

The print was produced by Louis Haghe, a Belgian‑born British lithographer who co‑founded the influential Day & Haghe firm in London. Known for pioneering early Victorian lithographic publications, Haghe contributed this image as part of a larger series documenting Egyptian and Nubian monuments, intended for a European audience eager for visual accounts of antiquity.

Context

During the 1830s, European interest in Egyptology surged, fueled by expeditions and the publication of illustrated travelogues. Haghe’s series offered one of the few visual records of sites like Wadi Sabua before extensive modern excavation, providing contemporary scholars and the public with rare insight into the region’s monumental architecture.