8vo. [8], 460 pp., 1 large folding plan at rear, title vignette, contemporary half calf with marbled boards, lightly rubbed round edges, marbled endpapers and outer edges, bookplate of Charles Kettaneh verso front endpaper, copy in very good condition, Imprimerie Royale, Paris, second edition, 1819.

Synopsis

Brunet states that 325 copies were printed. Two editions, first edition was published in the same year 1819 as two volumes in one, containing text and atlas in one volume. This edition, which is marked “Seconde”, was also issued in 1819 with the text in 8vo and the folio plates to be purchased separately. Forbin’s was one of the first important French books to use lithography on a grand scale, and the standard of production is equal to that of Napoleon’s “Description de l’Égypte” or “Denon’s Voyage”.
In 1816 Forbin replaced Dominique Denon as Director of Museums of France, and in August 1817 he undertook a semi-official year-long voyage to the Levant, having been authorised to purchase antiquities for the Louvre. He travelled to Milos, where his son-in-law Marcellus had negotiated the purchase of the recently discovered Venus de Milo and from there he continued to Athens, Contantinople, Asia Minor, Syria and Palestine. From Jaffa he travelled overland to Alexandria and visited Egypt. His party included the artist Prevost and the engineer Linant de Bellfonds.
Bibliographic references: Atabey, 447; Blackmer, 614; Brunet II, 1337; Colas, 1089; Graesse II, 614; Röhricht, 1660; Tobler, 144-145; Hilmy I, 163 cites a copy with coloured plates.