Darius I Offering to Amun, Temple of Amun at Hibis
521–486 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
facsimile: h. 52 cm (20 1/2 in); w. 37.5 cm (14 3/4 in); scale about 1:8; framed: h. 55.2 cm (21 3/4 in); w. 40 cm (15 3/4 in)
Classification
Facsimile, Temple of Amun
Period
Late Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.105.6
Art Historical Context
This vibrant facsimile captures a sacred moment from the Temple of Amun at Hibis in Egypt’s Western Desert. Created during the reign of Darius I (521–486 B.C.), the scene shows the Persian king, dressed as a traditional pharaoh, presenting offerings to the god Amun. Dynasty 27, when Egypt was part of the vast Achaemenid Empire, this artwork illustrates how foreign rulers adopted Egyptian religious customs and artistic conventions to legitimize their authority. The original temple reliefs were painted in bright mineral colors on plastered walls, a technique that allowed vivid storytelling in s...
About the Artist
Charles K. Wilkinson · 1897–1986
Charles K. Wilkinson (1897–1986), born Charles Kyrle Wilkinson in London on October 13, 1897, was the son of Horace W. Wilkinson, a stained-glass window maker, and Frances Adkins. Serving in World War I, he honed his artistic skills at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, where the influential director Henry Tonks shaped the rigorous training of a generation of draughtsmen. In ...