By Mursi Saad El-Din The Dahesh Museum of New York is organising yet another ambitious exhibition under the title "Napoleon on the Nile: Soldiers, Artists and the Rediscovery of Egypt". The exhibition has involved many lenders, funders, directors and professional staff from different institutions. Going through the beautifully produced catalogue of the exhibition, one cannot help but notice the tremendous amount of effort its organisers have put into it. I am sure it was not easy to collect 159 original documents, including Napoleon's letters and orders, along with his medals, portrait, sword and other memorabilia. The catalogue carries a long account by Lisa Small, the Associate Curator of the exhibition, of the history of Napoleon's expedition to Egypt. On 1 July 1798, General Napoleon Bonaparte's ship L'Orient appeared off the coast of Alexandria. Napoleon, just 29 years old at the time, was about to embark on one of the most extraordinary adventures of his career. Bonaparte held the conviction that an Egypt under French rule would be the key to victory in France's long political and economic struggle against Great Britain. Besides France was drawn to Egypt by cultural forces. In the words of Lisa Small, "France had long considered itself the heir and steward of classical Graeco-Roman patrimony, a custodian relationship that also encompassed the rich heritage of ancient Egypt". The expedition was not a military success, due to the intervention of Britain. But it was "the prisms, or narratives, through which all subsequent western cultural, military, and political interventions in the East must be interpreted, making them the basis for modern orientalism". With the 55,000 troops, Napoleon brought with him some 150 "savants, scholars, artists, engineers, to record and describe Egypt in all its detail and variety: people, plants, animals, pyramids, temples, ruins, etc. The result was the Description de l'Egypte ", the first edition of which was published in Paris between 1809 and 1828. The Description contains engravings which remain significant documents in the field of archaeology, architecture, historical preservation and conservation, and natural history. Most importantly, writes Small, they are beautiful and revelatory images that, "although born of an imperial endeavour, should not be defined or obscured by it". In her essay, Small gives us glimpses of how Bonaparte addressed his soldiers. "Soldiers", he said "You are about to attempt a conquest, the effects of which will be immeasurable both for civilisation and for world commerce. We shall undertake weary marches and fight many battles, we shall succeed in everything. Destiny is on our side." Then there is his famous saying before the Battle of the Pyramids. Pointing to the pyramids, he declared: "From these monuments, forty centuries look down upon you." This scene was commemorated in paintings, medals and even on the lid of a snuff box which is among the objects on show at the exhibition. What is interesting is that the battle was not fought at the Pyramids but in a melon field miles from the pyramids. Napoleon, in the words of Small, "did not want to miss the opportunity to associate his first major victory in Egypt with those ancient symbols of power and eternity". The reason behind Napoleon's bringing the "savants" was his great interest in science, being himself a member of the mathematics section of the Institut de France. Many of his "savants" were members of the Institut. On 22 August 1798, Napoleon established the Institut de l'Egypte in Cairo, with the distinguished mathematician and chemist Caspard Monge, as its president, while he, Napoleon, became vice-president. The Institut is still functioning in Egypt. Its first Egyptian president was the late Dr Soliman Huzayen and its current one is Dr Mahmoud Hafez. I have the honour and pleasure of being one of its members. I know that there are plans to celebrate Napoleon in Egypt, which are hatched between Cairo and Paris. I believe that this extraordinary exhibition should be part of these plans.
