An Egypt Portfolio
We took a trip through Egypt in the Spring of 1989. These are some paintings I made of the places we visited. The first is a picture of the Great Pyramid at Giza and the sphinx at mid-day. The second view shows the sphinx against a background of sandstone bluffs in the distance. The next two paintings show sites around Luxor -- the site of ancient Thebes. We saw the great obolisk in striking afternoon light, and we visited the shattered colossus of Ramses II across the Nile. Farther south, we visited the magnificently preserved temple at Esna. On the day of the vernal equinix, we happened to be in the room containing the altar to Horus. At mid-day, we saw a shaft of light swing across the dark room and strike the polished stone altar, illuminating it briefly.
All pictures © 1996 William N. Goetzmann