'The most prominent Dutchman in Egypt': Jan Herman Insinger and the Egyptian collection in Leiden: 19 (Palma, 19) - Softcover

Jan Herman Insinger was a well-known character in the history of Egyptology, mainly because his name has been linked forever with a famous demotic wisdom papyrus now in Leiden. Although he is mentioned by many of his contemporaries, biographical notes on Insinger rarely surpass a few lines and can be quite inaccurate. However, a lot of information can be gathered from the Archives of the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden and other sources, both published and unpublished ones. These documents enable us to sketch a brief biography of this fascinating figure.

Former studies by the present author dealt with Insinger’s activities as a photographer and a traveller. The present volume focuses on Insinger’s activities as an art collector. Insinger can be regarded as a maecenas of the Leiden Museum. Thus, a study of this aspect of his manifold interests is mainly relevant for the information it provides on the growth of the Egyptian treasures in Leiden.

Prof. Maarten J. Raven Is The Curator Of The Egypt Collection In The Dutch National Museum Of Antiquities. He Studied Egyptian Languages And Literature, History Of Art And Archaeology At The University Of Leiden. Since 1975, He Performs Fieldwork At Saqqara (Egypt). He Is Particularly Interested In The Art And Material Culture Of The New Kingdom And The Late Period, In Iconography, Magic And Symbolism, And In Egyptomania And The Rediscovery Of Ancient Egypt. Raven Wrote His Dissertation On Aspects Of Funerary Symbolism (Symbols Of Resurrection: Three Studies In Ancient Egyptian Iconography, 1984). He Published Many Articles, Catalogues And Monographs On Material Culture, The Leiden Collection And Fieldwork In Saqqara. In September 2012, Maarten Raven Was Appointed Extraordinary Professor Of The Museology Of Ancient Egypt In The Egyptology Department Of The Faculty Of Humanities. He Focuses On The Museum Aspects Of Egyptology And Investigates The Formation Of Egyptian Collections In Museums In The Netherlands And Elsewhere. Besides His Appointment As Curator, Raven Is Active As Board Member Of Various Institutions In The Field Of Museums And Egyptology.