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Napoleon Sparked a Global Egyptian Craze

Napoleon Sparked a Global Egyptian Craze

Modern obsession with Egyptian style wasn't born in the desert, but from Napoleon's failed military invasion. His expedition’s published records turned ancient stone motifs into the hottest trend in Europe.

When Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798, he brought a massive team of scholars along to document every ruin they found. The resulting encyclopedic books showcased massive, mysterious monuments that captivated the Parisian elite and beyond. While Egyptian influences had popped up rarely since the Renaissance, this campaign made the style a household phenomenon. It transformed ancient funeral art into the standard design for everything from cemeteries to public city banks.

Source: Egyptian Revival architecture

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