The obelisk and first pylon of the temple of Luxor, with the two colossi, partially buried by sand, depicting Ramesses II, painted by David Robert.

The interior of the impressive temple of Abu Simbel has a pronaos with eight giant Osiride pillars, each standing about 10 m (33 ft) tall, depicting the pharaoh as Osiris, Lord of the Under-world.

Although it had been discovered only 25 years prior to the visit by David Roberts, the temple was a popular destination for many visitors, and the Scottish painter was shocked at the amount of graffiti left by tourists orb the walls of the monument, which, according to Roberts, was alone worth the difficult trip to Nubia.

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