#egyptomania
SCHINKEL’S EGYPTIAN ZAUBERFLÖTE
Architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel published the portfolio of his designs for theatrical sets, Sammlung von Theater-Dekorationen, in 1819 (reprinted many times in the 19th century). This deluxe collection of large, aquatint plates representing Schinkel’s stage designs for numerous operas featured eight fantastical backdrops for a production of Mozart’s equally-fantastic opera Die Zauberflöte (1791), staged in Berlin in 1815.
Die Zauberflöte’s libretto , composed by the actor-impresario Emmanuel Schikaneder, a pastiche of fairy tales, magical lore and vaguely-defined exotic locations, further muddled by superficial references to Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, and other forms of esotericism. Schikaneder’s references to a Temple of the Sun and the aria “ O Isis und Osiris”) prompted Schinkel to give the opera a full-blown ancient Egyptian treatment, complete with sphinxes, palm trees, colossal statuary and hypostyle temples.
These fanciful sets not only reflect the Egyptomania that dominated the period, but they announce as well the Schinkel’s stylistic transition from Neo-classicism to the Romantic historicism and eclecticism of his later work.
We have a new exhibit!
Egyptomania: Modern Fascination with Ancient Egypt
January 10 - March 31, 2022
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
European enthusiasm for Ancient Egypt was renewed with Napoleon’s invasion of the region and with the 1822 translation of the Rosetta Stone. These events led to greater research and exploration of Ancient Egyptian architecture and artifacts, as you can see in our latest exhibit of books, photographs, and maps from the 18th-20th centuries. Come visit the Noel Collection to see evidence of European explorations, exploitations, and archaeological excavations of Egypt.
Image from: Views in Egypt, , from the original drawings, in the possession of Sir Robert Ainslie, taken during his embassy to Constantinople by Luigi Mayer (London: Printed by Thomas Bensley… for R. Bowyer, 1805.)
Call Number: NC257 .M388 A4 1805
Catalog Record: https://bit.ly/3zJXdkT
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Welcome back to school, SAIC students! Please come visit the reading room today (until 8:00) and tomorrow (10:30-5:00) to see the exhibition Forever “Egypt!”: Works from the Collection of Harold Allen.
The exhibition was curated by SAIC students Margarita LizcanoHernandez and Alejandra Vargas as the culminating exercise in their two-year Mellon Undergraduate Curatorial Fellowship. Here you can see some installation images of the show and the curators, Alejandra and Margarita, introducing the exhibition to a class. Don’t miss your chance to see this thoughtful introduction to Harold Allen, Egyptomania, and the nature of collecting, which closes this Friday, August 31.
The Ryerson & Burnham Libraries will be closed on Monday, September 3, but the reading room will be open for research at 1:00 on Tuesday, September 4, when you can come in to view I’ll Show You: Posters and Promos from Chicago’s Famous Artists, and whet your appetite for Hairy Who? 1966-1969, opening in the museum galleries later next month.
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