Egyptian art - wall relief highlight from the tomb of Ramose

Wall relief highlight from the late18th dynasty tomb of Ramose

Dimensions - Height - 28 cm / 11 inches

Depth - 2 cm / 3/4 of an inch

Width - 21.5cm / 8.5 inches

This is a special piece full of detail and historical significance as it represents just one highlight from one scene in one of the most interesting tombs to survive from ancient Egypt.

Anybody who gets ‘into’ Egypt will know this design very well as it is highly published and for very good reason. It is a carving that was made during the wealthiest phase of Egyptian art and culture during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep the third. The tomb owner - Ramose, was the mayor / grand vizier of the city of Thebes. Ramose’s influence enabled the employment of the best craftsmen in the land.......well second best if you consider the best were at work behind the mountain working in the Pharaoh’s tomb.

Nevertheless this tomb, even in its somewhat ruinous state today, is a masterpiece of the ancient craftsmen’s workmanship and an absolute inspiration for my own early work. I have seen the real tomb and it is even more impressive in reality.

Now for the piece at hand. This is a replica portion from the eastern wall showing the wife of Ramose’s brother.

Another point of interest in this piece are the eyes. They are some of the most sensuous eyes ever painted in Egypt and certainly the most famous of the painted type. I have done my best to make them as soulful as the originals. That is the only paintwork that these figures received because work on the tomb was abandoned shortly after Akhenaten came to the throne while it was under construction.

Evidence in a shift in art styles can also be noted from the earliest years of the new kings reign. That is another reason this tomb is so important. The classical 18th dynasty style dominates, but on the far western wall are to be found sketches from the early Amarna period style but were never completed as the capital was moved north and the best artists involved in the tomb would have went to the new city.

The colour of the original stone is a creamy white limestone with grey patches which has been replicated here in Temstone which is a limestone / quartzite composition stone capturing every fine detail.

It has a carefully placed wire hook to allow for hanging.