Émile Prisse d'Avennes
Achille-Constant-Théodore-Émile Prisse d'Avennes was a French archaeologist, Egyptologist, architect and writer.
Biography
Prisse d'Avennes was born in Avesnes-sur-Helpe, France, on 27 January 1807, to a noble family of French origin. After the early death of his father in 1814, on the guidance of his grandfather he enrolled at college a year later to train for a career within the legal profession. Prisse d'Avennes decided to become an archaeologist in 1836 after a period teaching at the infantry school in Damietta.Life in Egypt
In 1827 when he reached Egypt, he was hired by the viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, as a civil engineer. He spent many years living as an Egyptian, adopting the name Idriss-effendi, learning to speak Arabic and practicing Islam. He stated that adopting Egyptian culture resulted in a greater understanding of Egyptian society and people.Oriental Album
In 1848, he contributed 30 lithograph images depicting the people living on the Nile Valley to a costume book titled Oriental Album written by James Augustus St. John who was a British author and traveler.Selected bibliography
- Arabic Art: monuments after Cairo from the 7th century to the end of the 18th century retrieved GMT12:56 25.9.11
- Arabic Decoration
- Atlas of Egyptian Art, with an introduction by Maarten J. Raven, captions by Olaf E. Kaper
- Egyptian monuments, bas-reliefs, paintings, sculptures retrieved GMT12:51.25.9.11
- retrieved 13:07GMT 24/09/2011
- retrieved 12:25 24/09/11
- retrieved GMT13:45 24/09/11
- http://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/199006/prisse-a.portrait.htm