After David ROBERTS - Lot 439

After David ROBERTS SET OF 13 ENGRAVINGS, mostly in color, depicting Egyptian or Oriental scenes: tombs, animated landscapes, scenes in the Antique style, views of Cairo and monuments, traditional scenes, including three from books (some insolated, foxing, traces of humidity, dimensions) Framed under glass (one pane damaged) Dim. with frame. 44 x 54.5 to 70 x 54 cm ATTACHED PORTFOLIO containing 11 Orientalist polychrome ENGRAVINGS, some by David Roberts, depicting views of Cairo, Egyptian monuments, views of Suez and Alexandria, Orientalist scenes and views of Egypt. Mounted on cardboard A vue 26.5 x 36 to 30 x 44 cm Provenance l Collection of Mr. Samir Raouf (1933-2021), Egyptian diplomat and architect who furnished his property, Villa Ra, in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey. Biography l In 1956, Mr. Samir Raouf obtained a Bachelor's degree in architecture from Ein Shams University in Cairo. He became head of the engineering department at the Ministry of Tourism in Cairo in 1964. He continued his studies, graduating from the National Planning Institute in Cairo in 1967, and became Head of the Planning Department at the Ministry of Tourism in Cairo in 1968. In 1969, he graduated in International Affairs from the University of London, and was accredited diplomat to the Court of St. James and architectural advisor to the Egyptian Embassy for 10 years, from 1970 to 1980. At the same time, he was Director of the United Arab Republic Information and Tourism Centre in Piccadilly from 1970 to 1974. He was also Director of the Tourist Office for the Tutankhamen Treasures exhibition at the British Museum in 1972. In 1974, he was awarded a Fellow's Diploma from the UK's Faculty of Building, followed in 1975 by a Diploma in Interior Design and Decoration from the UK's Rhodec International School of Design, which he took up with the London interior design firm Design Coordinators in 1981. In 1989, the design of his swimming pool at his family home in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey won a Gold Medal in the United States.