Female Musicians
A.D. 1921–1922; original ca. 1400–1390 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
facsimile: H. 41 16 1/8 in.); W. 64.8 cm (25 1/2 in.), scale 1:1 framed: 42.9 (16 7/8 in.); W. 66.7 cm (26 1/4 in.)
Classification
Facsimile, Djeserkareseneb (TT 38); Drink-and-be-Merry
Period
Twentieth Century; original New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.4.9
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Egyptian Art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where we encounter *Female Musicians*, a facsimile created by Charles K. Wilkinson A.D. 1921–1922. This tempera-on reproduction, rendered at a precise 1:1 scale (41 1/16 x 25 1/2 inches), faithfully captures an original wall painting from ancient Egypt's New Kingdom, 18, dating to around 1400–1390 B.C. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 193, it preserves a vibrant snapshot of life from over 3,400 years ago. The scene depicts elegant women musicians, likely from a tomb or banqueting context, playing lutes amid themes of love poetry, merry-making, and revelry—"drink and be merry." In New Kingdom Egypt, such images symbolized eternal joy in the afterlife, blending music, dance, and celebration to honor the deceased. Female musicians held cultural prestige, their lute performances evoking romance and festivity, as seen in tags like "Love-Poetry" and "Musical Instruments." These lively compositions, often in tombs of nobles, highlight Egypt's sophisticated artistry in tempera-like pigments on plaster, conveying rhythm and emotion through graceful figures and vivid colors. Wilkinson's meticulous facsimile allows modern viewers to appreciate the original's techniques—bold outlines, flat perspectives, and symbolic details—without wear from millennia. It invites us to imagine ancient feasts alive with song, reminding us of music's timeless power to unite hearts across eras.
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 ...