Seth Slaying a Serpent, Temple of Amun at Hibis
521–486 B.C.
Medium
Tempera on paper
Dimensions
facsimile: h. 45 cm (17 11/16 in); w. 36 cm (14 3 16 in); scale 1:5; framed: h. 41.3 cm (16 1/4 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
48.105.5
Art Historical Context
Behold the dynamic facsimile *Seth Slaying a Serpent a vivid reproduction of an ancient Egyptian wall painting from the Temple of Am at Hibis in the remote Kharga Oasis. Dating to 521–486 B.C. during Dynasty 27 of the Late Period—the era of Persian rule over Egypt—this scene captures the god Seth, embodiment of chaos and storms, triumphantly spearing a menacing serpent. Such imagery underscores Seth's role as a protector against cosmic disorder, echoing eternal battles between order and chaos central to Egyptian mythology. Created by Egyptologist Charles K. Wilkinson in tempera on paper at a ...
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 ...