Facsimile of the painting on the inner back side of the sarcophagus of Aashyt
ca. 2051–2030 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
facsimile: h. 33.9 cm (13 3/8 in); w. 108.6 cm (42 3/4 in) Scale 1:2 framed: h. 38.4 cm (15 1/8 in); w. 113.3 cm (44 5/8 in)
Classification
Facsimile, Aashyt sarcophagus
Period
First Intermediate Period–Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.105.31
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking facsimile captures the vivid painting from the inner back side of the sarc belonging to Aashyt, a woman from Egypt's Dynasty 11 (ca. 2051–2030 B.C.). Crafted during the transition from the First Intermediate Period the Middle Kingdom, the original artwork adorned her coffin in a funerary context, reflecting ancient Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife. Such sarcophagi paintings often featured symbolic motifs like women—possibly representing Aashyt or protective deities—and animals, evoking fertility, protection, and the journey to eternity amid the Nile's rhythms. Created by Egypto...
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 ...