This volume has a dual value; it is a collection of delicate portrayals of ancient Egyptian art, architectural features and sculpture, while also providing an insight into the work of Prisse d'Avennes, a 19th-century Egyptologist who was ahead of his time in realizing the need to record such vulnerable monuments - in a period when the camera had not fully developed, painting and sketches were the only way of doing this. In addition to the colour illustrations, the book includes notes to the plates and an introduction describing the life and work of the author.