Adventures on the Nile. Prussia and Egyptology 1842–45
15 Oct 2022 — 7 Mar 2023 at Neues Museum
· Berlin
Adventures on the Nile. Prussia and Egyptology 1842–45 examines one of the most ambitious scholarly expeditions of the 19th century: the Prussian Expedition to Egypt and Nubia, led by Karl Richard Lepsius between 1842 and 1845.
Commissioned by King Frederick William IV of Prussia, the expedition brought together scientists, artists, and architects who documented ancient monuments, copied inscriptions, and collected thousands of artefacts. Their findings transformed European understanding of ancient Egyptian civilisation and laid crucial groundwork for Egyptology as a modern discipline.
The exhibition presents maps, drawings, manuscripts, and objects that illuminate both the scientific achievements and the broader cultural and political context of this pioneering journey along the Nile.
Commissioned by King Frederick William IV of Prussia, the expedition brought together scientists, artists, and architects who documented ancient monuments, copied inscriptions, and collected thousands of artefacts. Their findings transformed European understanding of ancient Egyptian civilisation and laid crucial groundwork for Egyptology as a modern discipline.
The exhibition presents maps, drawings, manuscripts, and objects that illuminate both the scientific achievements and the broader cultural and political context of this pioneering journey along the Nile.
About the venue
Neues Museum
· Berlin
The Neues Museum is a listed building on the Museum Island of Berlin. Built from 1843 to 1855 by order of King Frederick William IV of Prussia in Neoclassical and Renaissance Revival styles, it is considered as the major work of Friedrich August Stüler. After suffering damage in World War II and…