First Sight of Alexandria

Art Historical Context

**First Sight of Alexandria** (1843) by Miner Kilbourne Kellogg invites visitors into a captivating moment of discovery. This delicate drawing captures the artist's initial glimpse of the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria, a bustling port blending antiquity and commerce at the Mediterranean's edge. Created during the mid-19th century, American artists increasingly ventured abroad for inspiration, Kellogg's work reflects the era's wanderlust and fascination with distant lands. As a skilled draftsman, Kellogg employed drawing as a portable medium ideal for travel sketches—quick, expressive li...