Barbering, Tomb of Userhat

Art Historical Context

This tempera facsimile captures a lively scene of barbering from the tomb of Userhat, a high-ranking official who served during Egypt’s New Kingdom, Dynasty 18. Created around 1427–1400 B.C., the original wall painting belongs to a long tradition of tomb decoration that illustrated everyday activities, ensuring the deceased would enjoy familiar comforts in the afterlife. The intimate subject—men receiving haircuts and grooming—offers a rare glimpse into the personal routines of ancient Egyptian society. Nina de Garis Davies produced this exact-scale copy in 1922 using tempera on paper, meticulously recording the original pigments and line work before many tomb paintings suffered further deterioration. Her facsimiles, now in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, remain invaluable records that allow modern viewers to appreciate the vibrant colors and fluid draftsmanship of New Kingdom artists. Beyond their documentary value, such scenes highlight the Egyptians’ belief in the continuity of life after death and their skill in transforming ordinary moments into enduring art. Today the work invites visitors to connect with both the ancient craftsmen and the twentieth-century scholar who preserved their vision.

About the Artist

Nina de Garis Davies · 1881–1965

Nina de Garis Davies, born Anna Macpherson Cummings on January 6, 1881, in Salonika, Greece, to English-Scottish parents Cecil J. Cummings and Sarah Macintosh Tannoch, showed early artistic talent as the eldest of three daughters. After her father's death in 1894, the family relocated to Scotland and then London, where she trained at the Slade School of Art. In 1906, at age 25, a holiday trip to E...