Qenamun and His Wife, Tomb of Qenamun
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
Facsimile: H. 36 × W. 54 cm (14 3/16 × 21 1/4 in.); scale 1:1; Framed: H. 39.2 × W. 57.8 cm (15 7/16 × 22 3/4 in.)
Classification
Facsimile, Qenamun (TT 162), old age
Period
New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.4.192
Tags
Art Historical Context
This facsimile captures a tender scene from the tomb of Qenamun, a high-ranking official who served during Egypt’s New Kingdom, Dynasty 18 (ca. 1390–1352 B.C.). Painted in tempera on paper by Charles K. Wilkinson at a precise 1:1 scale, the work reproduces the original wall painting’s vibrant colors and intimate composition, showing Qenamun seated beside his wife in a gesture of affection. Such domestic portraits were common in Theban tombs, where they expressed the hope for eternal companionship in the afterlife. Wilkinson’s facsimile allows modern viewers to appreciate the refined artistic ...
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 ...