Erzählungen ≈ Narratives BEITRÄGE ZUR GESCHICHTE DER KONSERVIERUNG-RESTAURIERUNG CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF CONSERVATION, 2022
So penned curator Ambrose Lansing to Herbert Winlock (1884–1950) in 1930, referring to the extrao... more So penned curator Ambrose Lansing to Herbert Winlock (1884–1950) in 1930, referring to the extraordinary skills of repairer Chris Watt, who at that time was reassembling thousands of stone fragments of monumental sculpture from Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el Bahri in Thebes. Winlock – Egyptologist, field archaeologist, curator, and later the fourth director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art – was among the more influential non-conservation specialists who contributed to the development of conservation practice at the Museum in its early years. The Egyptian collection, like the Museum itself, is encyclopedic, spanning millennia, as well as all of ancient Egypt and its neighboring lands, ranging in scale from minute to monumental, and preserving organic and inorganic materials transformed through myriad manufacturing processes. Since its founding in 1870, The Met has devoted vast resources to the physical care and scientific study of all its collections, but it was the specific needs of the Department of Egyptian Art that precipitated some of the more significant advances in conservation practice, particularly during first half of the twentieth century, when thousands of newly-excavated finds were accessioned annually; and in the 1960s through the early 1980s, when the entire collection of more than 30,000 artifacts was installed in modern galleries, and the Museum’s first-ever blockbuster, “The Treasures of Tutankhamun,” took to the road. These and other developments initiated new exhibition practices that impacted all of the Museum’s curatorial departments in turn and ultimately facilitated the integration of academically trained conservation professionals into every phase of the Museum’s operations.
Los Moche, pobladores de la costa norte del Peru durante el periodo Intermedio Temprano, tuvieron... more Los Moche, pobladores de la costa norte del Peru durante el periodo Intermedio Temprano, tuvieron una rica produccion metalurgica para la cual emplearon principalmente laminas martilladas de varios metales que unieron por medios mecanicos. Los artesanos que produjeron los bienes metalicos depositados en los entierros Moche de Loma Negra, usaron un procedimiento de plateado por reemplazo electroquimico para aplicar capas de metal precioso a superficies de cobre. Este metodo es unico para el de Piura donde se localiza el sitio de Loma Negra, lejos del corazon de la tierra Moche, al otro lado del formidable desierto Sechura. Aqui se consideran dos tipos de objetos del corpus de Loma Negra - ornamentos en forma de discos y adornos para la cabeza con forma de cabezas zorros-, ensamblados a partir de laminas de cobre plateadas por medio de este notable metodo, que permitio la depositacion de niveles muy delgados de oro y plata de cualquier composicion. Ademas de considerar el metodo de ma...
In C. Lilyquist, Excavations at Thebes, The Earl of Carnarvon and The Metropolitan Museum of Art at Carnarvon 62 and Surrounds. , 2020
One of the greatest pleasures of working in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with its rich history... more One of the greatest pleasures of working in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with its rich history of archaeological exploration in the early part of the 20th century, is the opportunity to study antiquities retrieved from known contexts. Early reports and photographs have generally been supplemented through the efforts of curators, conservators, and scientists over the intervening years, but despite the time and effort earlier scholars dedicated to examining and contextualizing these artifacts, most antiquities continue to present unsolved mysteries and all warrant our periodic attention. Conservation-based research using techniques such as informed visual examination, X-ray radiography, and elemental analysis provides new parameters for contextualizing ancient artifacts.
More than 1400 turquoise stones associated with 98 archaeological artifacts from Egypt, the Near ... more More than 1400 turquoise stones associated with 98 archaeological artifacts from Egypt, the Near East, and Central Asia were analyzed using non-invasive point and scanning XRF. Geological specimens of turquoise from mines in the Sinai and Iran were also included in this study. The relative intensities of characteristic X-rays of Fe, Cu, Zn, and As were used to categorize the stones, which are discussed here in terms of their geographical contexts and assigned dates. The results indicate strong correlations between turquoise composition and archaeological attribution. Although these relationships likely reflect differences in turquoise sources that changed over the course of several millennia, it is not possible to associate the chemical signatures with specific mines solely using non-invasive XRF data.
An illustrated history of conservation practice at The Metropolitan Museum of Art written for the... more An illustrated history of conservation practice at The Metropolitan Museum of Art written for the Museum's 150 year anniversary in 2020
STATUES IN CONTEXT Production, meaning and (re)uses, 2019
Little archaeological evidence of metal recycling in ancient Egypt survives, and virtually none s... more Little archaeological evidence of metal recycling in ancient Egypt survives, and virtually none suggesting that temple ritual statuary was dispersed through official channels to be melted down and reused for ritual or profane purposes. Instead, there is ample evidence indicating that these cupreous and precious-metal figures, varying widely in size and ranging from basic to lavish in manufacture and embellishment, were retained in the temples over long periods, were occasionally altered to suit shifting political–religious ideologies and were respectfully buried within temple precincts upon retirement. Along with archaeological context, physical indications of alterations and reuse are extremely important for recognising extended lives and evolving functions, and thereby contribute to our understanding of ritual practices and the procurement and dispersal of sacred images. Technical investigations using typical museum laboratory techniques including visual examination, radiography and compositional analyses allow us to clarify function and characterise transformation. Examples discussed here include: Kushite royal figures that were defaced and reused by their Saite successors; statues of deities transformed through alteration of their regalia or later embellishment with precious materials; a small representation of Osiris slated for repair after it was damaged beyond recognition; and statues of royal and presumably high status non-royal personages that were altered for reasons that for now remain obscure.
Scholarship has focused on the Gupta age (ca. 320–550) as the quintessential expression of classi... more Scholarship has focused on the Gupta age (ca. 320–550) as the quintessential expression of classical Indian art, and on the key role of metal icons in the dissemination and development of Buddhist and Hindu practice during that period and its aftermath into the eighth century. In fact, although well attested in contemporary texts, few bronze figures, and none in gold or silver, survived the decline of Buddhism and the destruction of monasteries during the Muslim invasions, and for those still extant, little attention has been devoted to their manufacture. Close examination of a group of hollow-cast bronze Gupta-style Buddha images from North India has revealed a unique technological style developed to meet the particular challenges of producing three-dimensional, but relatively shallow, figures with expansive garments. Unlike most figural metal statuary, the Gupta-style images were cast in a horizontal orientation, with internal gates that directed the molten metal sideways into the billowing draperies. These and other conclusions regarding their manufacture are based on visual examination, computed radiography, volumetric X-ray imaging, and X-ray fluorescence spot and line scans analyses. The spread of this technology to South India and Southeast Asia parallels the wide ranging propogation of the Gupta style, but the specialized knowledge necessary to produce such images points to the movement of experienced craftsmen between these regions and the Gupta heartland.
This essay considers the technical examination of ancient works of art from the Near East, primar... more This essay considers the technical examination of ancient works of art from the Near East, primarily in museum settings. The practice of studying physical aspects of these works with the aim of identifying methods of manufacture and materials, establishing authenticity, date, or cultural attribution, characterizing paths of deterioration, and developing methods of preservation, has a history reaching back well into the nineteenth century, when many of the world’s largest museums were founded. Conservators and conservation scientists with varied and overlapping expertise, in cooperation with curators, art historians, archaeologists, and other specialists, now carry out this work in museums throughout the world.
Supplement by Deborah Schorsch to a catalogue entry by Diana Patch on the Middle Kingdom Egyptian... more Supplement by Deborah Schorsch to a catalogue entry by Diana Patch on the Middle Kingdom Egyptian gold cloisonné inlay pectoral of Sithathoryunet.
Appendix to "Cypriot Bronzework and Images of Power: The Cesnola Amphoroid Crater and Tripod," by... more Appendix to "Cypriot Bronzework and Images of Power: The Cesnola Amphoroid Crater and Tripod," by Joan Aruz
Erzählungen ≈ Narratives BEITRÄGE ZUR GESCHICHTE DER KONSERVIERUNG-RESTAURIERUNG CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF CONSERVATION, 2022
So penned curator Ambrose Lansing to Herbert Winlock (1884–1950) in 1930, referring to the extrao... more So penned curator Ambrose Lansing to Herbert Winlock (1884–1950) in 1930, referring to the extraordinary skills of repairer Chris Watt, who at that time was reassembling thousands of stone fragments of monumental sculpture from Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el Bahri in Thebes. Winlock – Egyptologist, field archaeologist, curator, and later the fourth director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art – was among the more influential non-conservation specialists who contributed to the development of conservation practice at the Museum in its early years. The Egyptian collection, like the Museum itself, is encyclopedic, spanning millennia, as well as all of ancient Egypt and its neighboring lands, ranging in scale from minute to monumental, and preserving organic and inorganic materials transformed through myriad manufacturing processes. Since its founding in 1870, The Met has devoted vast resources to the physical care and scientific study of all its collections, but it was the specific needs of the Department of Egyptian Art that precipitated some of the more significant advances in conservation practice, particularly during first half of the twentieth century, when thousands of newly-excavated finds were accessioned annually; and in the 1960s through the early 1980s, when the entire collection of more than 30,000 artifacts was installed in modern galleries, and the Museum’s first-ever blockbuster, “The Treasures of Tutankhamun,” took to the road. These and other developments initiated new exhibition practices that impacted all of the Museum’s curatorial departments in turn and ultimately facilitated the integration of academically trained conservation professionals into every phase of the Museum’s operations.
Los Moche, pobladores de la costa norte del Peru durante el periodo Intermedio Temprano, tuvieron... more Los Moche, pobladores de la costa norte del Peru durante el periodo Intermedio Temprano, tuvieron una rica produccion metalurgica para la cual emplearon principalmente laminas martilladas de varios metales que unieron por medios mecanicos. Los artesanos que produjeron los bienes metalicos depositados en los entierros Moche de Loma Negra, usaron un procedimiento de plateado por reemplazo electroquimico para aplicar capas de metal precioso a superficies de cobre. Este metodo es unico para el de Piura donde se localiza el sitio de Loma Negra, lejos del corazon de la tierra Moche, al otro lado del formidable desierto Sechura. Aqui se consideran dos tipos de objetos del corpus de Loma Negra - ornamentos en forma de discos y adornos para la cabeza con forma de cabezas zorros-, ensamblados a partir de laminas de cobre plateadas por medio de este notable metodo, que permitio la depositacion de niveles muy delgados de oro y plata de cualquier composicion. Ademas de considerar el metodo de ma...
In C. Lilyquist, Excavations at Thebes, The Earl of Carnarvon and The Metropolitan Museum of Art at Carnarvon 62 and Surrounds. , 2020
One of the greatest pleasures of working in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with its rich history... more One of the greatest pleasures of working in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with its rich history of archaeological exploration in the early part of the 20th century, is the opportunity to study antiquities retrieved from known contexts. Early reports and photographs have generally been supplemented through the efforts of curators, conservators, and scientists over the intervening years, but despite the time and effort earlier scholars dedicated to examining and contextualizing these artifacts, most antiquities continue to present unsolved mysteries and all warrant our periodic attention. Conservation-based research using techniques such as informed visual examination, X-ray radiography, and elemental analysis provides new parameters for contextualizing ancient artifacts.
More than 1400 turquoise stones associated with 98 archaeological artifacts from Egypt, the Near ... more More than 1400 turquoise stones associated with 98 archaeological artifacts from Egypt, the Near East, and Central Asia were analyzed using non-invasive point and scanning XRF. Geological specimens of turquoise from mines in the Sinai and Iran were also included in this study. The relative intensities of characteristic X-rays of Fe, Cu, Zn, and As were used to categorize the stones, which are discussed here in terms of their geographical contexts and assigned dates. The results indicate strong correlations between turquoise composition and archaeological attribution. Although these relationships likely reflect differences in turquoise sources that changed over the course of several millennia, it is not possible to associate the chemical signatures with specific mines solely using non-invasive XRF data.
An illustrated history of conservation practice at The Metropolitan Museum of Art written for the... more An illustrated history of conservation practice at The Metropolitan Museum of Art written for the Museum's 150 year anniversary in 2020
STATUES IN CONTEXT Production, meaning and (re)uses, 2019
Little archaeological evidence of metal recycling in ancient Egypt survives, and virtually none s... more Little archaeological evidence of metal recycling in ancient Egypt survives, and virtually none suggesting that temple ritual statuary was dispersed through official channels to be melted down and reused for ritual or profane purposes. Instead, there is ample evidence indicating that these cupreous and precious-metal figures, varying widely in size and ranging from basic to lavish in manufacture and embellishment, were retained in the temples over long periods, were occasionally altered to suit shifting political–religious ideologies and were respectfully buried within temple precincts upon retirement. Along with archaeological context, physical indications of alterations and reuse are extremely important for recognising extended lives and evolving functions, and thereby contribute to our understanding of ritual practices and the procurement and dispersal of sacred images. Technical investigations using typical museum laboratory techniques including visual examination, radiography and compositional analyses allow us to clarify function and characterise transformation. Examples discussed here include: Kushite royal figures that were defaced and reused by their Saite successors; statues of deities transformed through alteration of their regalia or later embellishment with precious materials; a small representation of Osiris slated for repair after it was damaged beyond recognition; and statues of royal and presumably high status non-royal personages that were altered for reasons that for now remain obscure.
Scholarship has focused on the Gupta age (ca. 320–550) as the quintessential expression of classi... more Scholarship has focused on the Gupta age (ca. 320–550) as the quintessential expression of classical Indian art, and on the key role of metal icons in the dissemination and development of Buddhist and Hindu practice during that period and its aftermath into the eighth century. In fact, although well attested in contemporary texts, few bronze figures, and none in gold or silver, survived the decline of Buddhism and the destruction of monasteries during the Muslim invasions, and for those still extant, little attention has been devoted to their manufacture. Close examination of a group of hollow-cast bronze Gupta-style Buddha images from North India has revealed a unique technological style developed to meet the particular challenges of producing three-dimensional, but relatively shallow, figures with expansive garments. Unlike most figural metal statuary, the Gupta-style images were cast in a horizontal orientation, with internal gates that directed the molten metal sideways into the billowing draperies. These and other conclusions regarding their manufacture are based on visual examination, computed radiography, volumetric X-ray imaging, and X-ray fluorescence spot and line scans analyses. The spread of this technology to South India and Southeast Asia parallels the wide ranging propogation of the Gupta style, but the specialized knowledge necessary to produce such images points to the movement of experienced craftsmen between these regions and the Gupta heartland.
This essay considers the technical examination of ancient works of art from the Near East, primar... more This essay considers the technical examination of ancient works of art from the Near East, primarily in museum settings. The practice of studying physical aspects of these works with the aim of identifying methods of manufacture and materials, establishing authenticity, date, or cultural attribution, characterizing paths of deterioration, and developing methods of preservation, has a history reaching back well into the nineteenth century, when many of the world’s largest museums were founded. Conservators and conservation scientists with varied and overlapping expertise, in cooperation with curators, art historians, archaeologists, and other specialists, now carry out this work in museums throughout the world.
Supplement by Deborah Schorsch to a catalogue entry by Diana Patch on the Middle Kingdom Egyptian... more Supplement by Deborah Schorsch to a catalogue entry by Diana Patch on the Middle Kingdom Egyptian gold cloisonné inlay pectoral of Sithathoryunet.
Appendix to "Cypriot Bronzework and Images of Power: The Cesnola Amphoroid Crater and Tripod," by... more Appendix to "Cypriot Bronzework and Images of Power: The Cesnola Amphoroid Crater and Tripod," by Joan Aruz
French edition of Gifts for the Gods: Images from Egyptian Temples.
Contributions by Laurent Cou... more French edition of Gifts for the Gods: Images from Egyptian Temples.
Contributions by Laurent Coulon, Sue Davies, Élisabeth Delange, Richard Fazzini, Florence Gombert, Adela Oppenheim, Diana Craig Patch, Maarten Raven, Edna R. Russmann, John H. Taylor, Eleni Tourna, Maria Viglaki-Sofianou, Michel Wuttmann.
Translated by François Boisivon.
Throughout their long history, the ancient Egyptians crafted luminous statues of bronze, copper, ... more Throughout their long history, the ancient Egyptians crafted luminous statues of bronze, copper, silver, and gold for use in interactions with their gods—from ritual dramas enacted in the inner sanctuaries of temples to festival processions and celebrations attended by the multitudes. This volume, which accompanies an exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the first to focus on the art and significance of Egyptian metal statuary. Marshaling fresh insights to present a new appreciation of this lustrous work, the authors trace continuities in the development of the statuary, illuminate how its production was integrated within artistic and social structures, and examine its potential role in ritual practice.
Metal statuary offers a surprising view of Egyptian art because the cultural, social, and manufacturing networks from which it emerged were often different from those that produced stone statuary, the more familiar artistic expression of ancient Egypt. In the presence of these extraordinary images of gods and pious individuals, the temples, in particular, emerge as crucibles in which diverse influences came together to replenish the art and beliefs of Egyptian society. The superb statues and statuettes illustrated in this volume were made in a variety of precious metals and copper alloys over a span of some two millennia. Especially dramatic are those from the Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1070–664 B.C.), an era whose conventional name belies its great artistic accomplishment. The splendid statuary from this period, the apogee of the Egyptian metalworking tradition, is perhaps best represented by the sumptuous figure of a priestess and noblewoman named "Takushit," whose entire body surface is covered with texts and depictions of god intricately inlaid with thin strips of precious metal.
Also included in this volume are two essays on recent archaeological discoveries that shed light on poorly understood aspects of Egyptian metal statuary. These reports on excavations at the Sacred Animal Necropolis in North Saqqara and at the village of 'Ayn Manâwir in the Kharga Oasis yield insight into the practices surrounding temple statuary, notably that these works were provided by donors for actual use in the temple and, after many years of service, reverently decommissioned and buried in large caches. The final essay explores and explains the intricate technological aspects of Egyptian metal statuary as an integral part of its unique appeal. The technical descriptions provided for each work are thus as precise, detailed and consistent in terminology as possible—crucial considerations for a field of sculptural studies in which accurate information about manufacture and material is inextricably linked to an appreciation of the artistry and history of the medium.
Contributions by Laurent Coulon, Sue Davies, Élisabeth Delange, Richard Fazzini, Florence Gombert, Adela Oppenheim, Diana Craig Patch, Maarten Raven, Edna R. Russmann, John H. Taylor, Eleni Tourna, Maria Viglaki-Sofianou, Michel Wuttmann.
Martina Ullmann, Gabriele Pieke, Friedhelm Hoffmann, and Christian Bayer (eds.), Up and Down the Nile: ägyptologische Studien für Regine Schulz. Ägypten und Altes Testament 97, 2021
The Miho statue depicts a seated falcon-headed god wearing a tripartite wig and a kilt, height 41... more The Miho statue depicts a seated falcon-headed god wearing a tripartite wig and a kilt, height 41.9 cm, created in solid silver with partly preserved gold sheet overlay and semi-precious stone hair and eyes. A circular fitting atop the head suggests the god did or could wear a crown with a base that fitted over it. Fisted hands rest on his thighs, the right one upright and the left with the folded fingers downward. The feet are misshapen by damage. In its public appearances while in the Benzion Collection at the 1949 Égypte-France exhibition in Paris and a 1953 Drouot sale, the statuette was dated to the Saite Period. In a brief mention with illustration after it had reemerged, largely cleaned, on the art market, it was suggested to date to the Third Intermediate Period or Late Period. When exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum as part of the Shumei Collection in 1996, a Dynasty 19 date was proposed. Since that exhibition, it has been on view at the Miho Museum with that date. In the current paper, the authors reexamine the remarkable statue from several perspectives to establish a dating, possible provenance, and more complex understanding of the meanings of materials.
I. Shaw and E. Bloxom (eds.), Oxford Handbook of Egyptology: 1203–16. , 2020
Conservators are professionals dedicated to the physical preservation of cultural heritage in var... more Conservators are professionals dedicated to the physical preservation of cultural heritage in varied contexts. In museums they work closely with curators and conservation scientists to maintain or improve the structural or chemical stability of works in their care. Prior to undertaking a treatment, conservators visually examine each artefact and use instrumental analytical methods to establish and document its manufacture and materials, the causes and extent of deterioration, and previous interventions, all of which can affect its physical condition and appearance. In addition to undertaking technical examinations and carrying out active treatment protocols, conservators institute preventive measures and best practice guidelines to control the museum environment and minimize damage during display, travel, and storage. Conservators of Egyptian antiquities face special challenges predicated by unique aspects of ancient Egypt’s physical and cultural landscape.
J. van Dijk, ed., Another Mouthful of Dust. Egyptological Studies in Honour of Geoffrey Thorndike Martin. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 246, 2016
Investigations from both Egyptological and technical directions point to a date for the Metropoli... more Investigations from both Egyptological and technical directions point to a date for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Ptah statuette in the late New Kingdom or possibly Dynasty 21. This very fine statuette exhibits a style that is attributable to that era and a figure that conforms to the earlier model for representation of the figure of the god Ptah, a god whose representational details, moreover, can be understood in relationship to particular emphases that evolved over the New Kingdom through the Kushite Period. At the same time, the statuette demonstrates a cluster of features that seem to identify at least one group of productions that belong to an early stage in the sustained production of cupreous statuary. The interest of the Late Ramesside period as a transitional era leading to the arts and technologies that characterize the Third Intermediate Period is often noted. The significance of the era is confirmed in the case of this remarkable statuette.
The article reports on a gilded silver "temple pendant" of Nephthys inscribed for Mereskhonsu, su... more The article reports on a gilded silver "temple pendant" of Nephthys inscribed for Mereskhonsu, suggesting it belonged to the Mereskhonsu who was a "great follower of the God's Wife"" Shepenwepet II and the mother of the Chief Steward Akhamenru. The appendix details features of construction, techniques of decoration, and the condition of the small gilded silver statuette of Nephthys.
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millennia, as well as all of ancient Egypt and its neighboring lands, ranging in scale from minute to monumental, and preserving organic and inorganic materials transformed through myriad manufacturing processes. Since its founding in 1870, The Met has devoted
vast resources to the physical care and scientific study of all its collections, but it was the specific needs of the Department of Egyptian Art that precipitated some of the more significant advances in conservation practice, particularly during first half of the twentieth
century, when thousands of newly-excavated finds were accessioned annually; and in the 1960s through the early 1980s, when the entire collection of more than 30,000 artifacts was installed in modern galleries, and the Museum’s first-ever blockbuster, “The Treasures of Tutankhamun,” took to the road. These and other developments initiated new exhibition
practices that impacted all of the Museum’s curatorial departments in turn and ultimately facilitated the integration of academically trained conservation professionals into every phase of the Museum’s operations.
https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/individual-scholarship/individual-scholarship-christine-lilyquist
this essay is can be found under specific studies on technology
https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/conservation-and-scientific-research/conservation-stories/history-of-conservation
a history reaching back well into the nineteenth century, when many of
the world’s largest museums were founded. Conservators and conservation
scientists with varied and overlapping expertise, in cooperation with curators,
art historians, archaeologists, and other specialists, now carry out this work
in museums throughout the world.
millennia, as well as all of ancient Egypt and its neighboring lands, ranging in scale from minute to monumental, and preserving organic and inorganic materials transformed through myriad manufacturing processes. Since its founding in 1870, The Met has devoted
vast resources to the physical care and scientific study of all its collections, but it was the specific needs of the Department of Egyptian Art that precipitated some of the more significant advances in conservation practice, particularly during first half of the twentieth
century, when thousands of newly-excavated finds were accessioned annually; and in the 1960s through the early 1980s, when the entire collection of more than 30,000 artifacts was installed in modern galleries, and the Museum’s first-ever blockbuster, “The Treasures of Tutankhamun,” took to the road. These and other developments initiated new exhibition
practices that impacted all of the Museum’s curatorial departments in turn and ultimately facilitated the integration of academically trained conservation professionals into every phase of the Museum’s operations.
https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/individual-scholarship/individual-scholarship-christine-lilyquist
this essay is can be found under specific studies on technology
https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/conservation-and-scientific-research/conservation-stories/history-of-conservation
a history reaching back well into the nineteenth century, when many of
the world’s largest museums were founded. Conservators and conservation
scientists with varied and overlapping expertise, in cooperation with curators,
art historians, archaeologists, and other specialists, now carry out this work
in museums throughout the world.
Contributions by Laurent Coulon, Sue Davies, Élisabeth Delange, Richard Fazzini, Florence Gombert, Adela Oppenheim, Diana Craig Patch, Maarten Raven, Edna R. Russmann, John H. Taylor, Eleni Tourna, Maria Viglaki-Sofianou, Michel Wuttmann.
Translated by François Boisivon.
Metal statuary offers a surprising view of Egyptian art because the cultural, social, and manufacturing networks from which it emerged were often different from those that produced stone statuary, the more familiar artistic expression of ancient Egypt. In the presence of these extraordinary images of gods and pious individuals, the temples, in particular, emerge as crucibles in which diverse influences came together to replenish the art and beliefs of Egyptian society. The superb statues and statuettes illustrated in this volume were made in a variety of precious metals and copper alloys over a span of some two millennia. Especially dramatic are those from the Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1070–664 B.C.), an era whose conventional name belies its great artistic accomplishment. The splendid statuary from this period, the apogee of the Egyptian metalworking tradition, is perhaps best represented by the sumptuous figure of a priestess and noblewoman named "Takushit," whose entire body surface is covered with texts and depictions of god intricately inlaid with thin strips of precious metal.
Also included in this volume are two essays on recent archaeological discoveries that shed light on poorly understood aspects of Egyptian metal statuary. These reports on excavations at the Sacred Animal Necropolis in North Saqqara and at the village of 'Ayn Manâwir in the Kharga Oasis yield insight into the practices surrounding temple statuary, notably that these works were provided by donors for actual use in the temple and, after many years of service, reverently decommissioned and buried in large caches. The final essay explores and explains the intricate technological aspects of Egyptian metal statuary as an integral part of its unique appeal. The technical descriptions provided for each work are thus as precise, detailed and consistent in terminology as possible—crucial considerations for a field of sculptural studies in which accurate information about manufacture and material is inextricably linked to an appreciation of the artistry and history of the medium.
Contributions by Laurent Coulon, Sue Davies, Élisabeth Delange, Richard Fazzini, Florence Gombert, Adela Oppenheim, Diana Craig Patch, Maarten Raven, Edna R. Russmann, John H. Taylor, Eleni Tourna, Maria Viglaki-Sofianou, Michel Wuttmann.
In its public appearances while in the Benzion Collection at the 1949 Égypte-France exhibition in Paris and a 1953 Drouot sale, the statuette was dated to the Saite Period. In a brief mention with illustration after it had reemerged, largely cleaned, on the art market, it was suggested to date to the Third Intermediate Period or Late Period. When exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum as part of the Shumei Collection in 1996, a Dynasty 19 date was proposed. Since that exhibition, it has been on view at the Miho Museum with that date. In the current paper, the authors reexamine the remarkable statue from several perspectives to establish a dating, possible provenance, and more complex understanding of the meanings of materials.
The interest of the Late Ramesside period as a transitional era leading to the arts and technologies that characterize the Third Intermediate Period is often noted. The significance of the era is confirmed in the case of this remarkable statuette.
The appendix details features of construction, techniques of decoration, and the condition of the small gilded silver statuette of Nephthys.