The Sphinx, Egypt
April 18, 1890
Classification
landscapes
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
Accession Number
1955-38-8
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Elihu Vedder, a prominent American artist (1836–1923), the enigmatic allure of ancient Egypt in *The Sphinx Egypt*, dated April 18, 1890. Best known for his symbolic and mystical works influenced by the Aesthetic movement and Pre-Raphaelite, Vedder often drew inspiration from exotic locales and classical mythology. This landscape, part of the Smithsonian American Art's collection (gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letters reflects the late 19th-century fascination with Orientalism among Western artists, who romanticized Egypt's monumental ruins as gateways to timeless mysteries. Classi...