Temple of Amun Karnak 1865

It’s a 19th and early 20th century watercolour on cardboard painting.

Werner, Carl Friedrich Heinrich (German, 1808-1894)
Sphinx of Amun in Karnak’s Temple of Amun, signed and dated ‘C. Werner. f. 1865.’ pencil, watercolour, and gouache on paper, inscribed and dated ‘Carnak 23 Febr 65’ (lower left); inscribed and dated ‘Carnak 23 Febr 65’ (lower right).

The Great Temple of Amun was the religious hub of Theban society and is the principal temple of the massive Temples of Karnak complex. This home of the gods was constructed on a massive scale and is still considered one of the most ambitious examples of Pharaonic era engineering and architecture in Ancient Egypt. The hallways and chambers are littered with colossal columns and huge statues, all of which are decorated in a bewildering quantity of detailed carvings.