CHAMPOLLION, Jean-François (1792-1832) - photo 1
CHAMPOLLION, Jean-François (1792-1832) - photo 2
CHAMPOLLION, Jean-François (1792-1832) - photo 3

CHAMPOLLION, Jean-François (1792-1832)

Lot 103
21.11.2022 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
€ 5 500
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 859132
Lot 103 | CHAMPOLLION, Jean-François (1792-1832)
Estimate value
€ 6 000 – 8 000
CHAMPOLLION, Jean-François (1792-1832). Lettre à M. Dacier ... relative à l'alphabet des hiéroglyphes phonétiques. Paris: Firmin Didot Père et Fils, 1822.

L'acte de naissance de l'égyptologie moderne. "Je tiens l’affaire", s’écriait Jean-François Champollion le 14 septembre 1822. Étudiant fiévreusement deux cartouches envoyés par son ami explorateur Jean-Nicolas Huyot, il parvient enfin à déchiffrer les noms royaux de Thoutmosis et de Ramsès. Cette véritable épiphanie, qui le fait tomber en léthargie, est une première confirmation du bien-fondé de ses théories sur la lecture des hiéroglyphes. A l’aide de la pierre de Rosette, ornée d’un texte trilingue (hiéroglyphes, démotique, grec) et d’autres monuments et documents ramenés d’Egypte par des explorateurs et scientifiques français et britanniques, Champollion mûrit ses hypothèses jusqu’à cette révélation.
En quelques jours, il prépare un mémoire à destination de l’Académie des inscriptions et Belles-lettres, qu'il lit le 27 septembre, date finalement retenue pour le déchiffrement.
Le mémoire est légèrement remanié et publié chez Firmin Didot le mois suivant, sous le titre Lettre à M. Dacier. "Dans ce texte, il creuse le sillon de savants comme Silvestre de Sacy, Äkerblad et Young, et prouve définitivement l'existence de caractères hiéroglyphiques employés pour noter des sons, en étant capable de lire des noms aussi divers que Ptolémée, Cléopâtre, Alexandre, Bérénice ou encore César et Trajan dans différents documents" (S. Polis, L'Aventure Champollion, p. 96)
L'édition originale de cette plaquette est illustrée de quatre planches de hiéroglyphes gravées d’après les dessins originaux de Champollion. Blackmer 306; Brunet III, De Ricci "Essai de bibliographie de Champollion le jeune" 23; En français dans le texte 234 ; L'Aventure Champollion, Paris, BnF, 2022.

In-8 (229 x 143 mm). 52 pp., 4 planches dépliantes. Manque la couverture.

[On joint, du même :] Lettre sur l'inscription grecque du temple de Dendera, adressée à Monsieur Fourier...Grenoble : J.H. Peyronard, 1806. In-8 (200 x 125 mm). 1 page de titre, 18 pp., 1 planche dépliante en fin de volume. Sans la couverture.

First edition of Champollion's first exposition of his method for deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. The four folding plates, signed in print by Champollion in hieroglyphs, consist of hieroglyphic cartouches and demotic inscriptions, and a table of symbols which Champollion had identified as phonetic. From these initial researches Champollion was able to progress to a more comprehensive decipherment, thus making the texts of ancient Egypt accessible to his contemporaries and founding modern Egyptology.
Place of origin:France
Auction house category:Books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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09.11.2022 – 21.11.2022
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