Jacques-François-Joseph SWEBACH (Metz, 1769 - Paris, 1823) A caravan in Egypt Walnut panel coated with filasse, one board, not parqueted Monogrammed in the lower right corner of the mastaba: "SW. On the back, four wax stamps 20,6 x 35,4 cm Provenance: - Sale, Paris, April 26-27, 1819, no. 2 (sold 340 francs). - Sale, Paris, January 31, 1820, n° 89 (withdrawn). - José Maria da Silva Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco (1819?-1880), then his son José Maria da Silva Paranhos, Jr. baron Rio Branco (1845 ? 1912), according to four wax stamps on the reverse, Brazil. Exhibition: Paris, Salon of 1814, No. 855, Arabs in the Desert (entry number 403 on the back of the original frame). Once the atrocities of the Egyptian campaign were forgotten, the expedition that followed (1798-1801) had a lasting influence on the arts in France. In 1802, the publication of Vivant Denon's Voyage de la Haute et Basse Égypte, followed by the Description raisonnée de l'Égypte, from 1809, propagated this craze. At Sèvres, Swebach worked on the realization of a monumental "Egyptian service" inspired by Denon. Among these is "A Harnessed Dromedary" (1808-1809, porcelain, Fontainebleau, Musée National du Château) intended to decorate a dessert plate. Our painting is inspired by this motif supplied in 1808 by Denon to Swebach. Very concerned with the theme of Egypt at the Sèvres factory, Swebach produced few paintings with an oriental theme and this "Caravan" appears to be an exception in his work.