Émile Prisse d'Avennes

1807-1879 French

Émile Prisse d'Avennes

French Egyptologist documenting Islamic art

Achille-Constant-Théodore-Émile Prisse d'Avennes was a French archaeologist, Egyptologist, architect and writer. 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. 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. 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.

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