1812 'Description de L'Egypte;' plate 51, engraving

After Michel Ange Lancret (French 1774-1807), double elephant folio copperplate engraving with hand coloring from Napoleon's 'Description de L'Egypte;' 1812, plate 51, 'Thebes, Karnak. Élévation pespective de la porte du sud,' (Thebes, Karnak: Perspective elevation of the southern gate); Description de L'Egypte, Vol. III., Plate 51; Engraved by V. Texier and E. Bovinet after a drawing by M. Lancret with figures etched by Jean Duplessi-Bertaux, (French 1747-1819); image 37"h x 29"w; overall with frame 49.25"h x 41.75"w x 1.5"d. Condition: Piece has an approximately 1" tear in upper margin right of center going 1/4" into the image, a 1/2" tear in the right margin, and a 1/2" tear in lower left margin, with water damage along the length of the left side, encroaching approximately 15% into the left side of the image. Note: Napoleon Bonaparte's army invaded Egypt in 1798. On this expidition Napoleon brought with him more than 160 scholars, scientists, and artists. This group was known as the 'French Commission on the Sciences and Arts of Egypt.' The scholars and experts were to survey the country’s archeology, topography, and natural history. They created detailed drawing and maps, as well as natural history inventories. This data was brought back to France and coilated into a multi-volume work. At the time of its publication, the Description de l'Égypte was the largest printed work ever produced in the western world.