Festival Scene, Tomb of Amenmose
ca. 1295–1213 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
Facsimile: H. 75 cm (29 1/2 in); W. 196 cm (77 3/16 in), scale 1:1; Framed: H. 78.1 cm (30 3/4 in.); W. 199.1 cm (78 3/8 in.)
Classification
Facsimile, Amenmose (TT 19)
Period
New Kingdom, Ramesside
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1932
Accession Number
32.6.1
Art Historical Context
This facsimile captures a vibrant festival scene originally painted on the walls of the Tomb of Amenmose during Egypt’s New Kingdom, Ramesside period (Dynasty 19). Created by Charles K. Wilkinson using tempera on paper at a precise 1:1 scale, it faithfully reproduces the lively procession of musicians, dancers, and offering bearers that adorned the ancient tomb. Such scenes were intended to celebrate life and ensure eternal joy for the deceased in the afterlife, reflecting the Egyptians’ deep belief in continuity between earthly festivities and the divine realm. Wilkinson, a noted artist and ...
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 ...