1000 Portraits of Genius. Victoria Charles

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      29. Funerary Mask of Tutankhamun, Egyptian, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Tutankhamun (c.1333–1323 B.C.E.), c. 1323 B.C.E. Gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian, quartz, obsidian, turquoise, glass paste,54 × 39.3 cm, weight: 11kg. The Egyptian National Museum, Cairo.

      The funerary mask of the Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamen, is made of solid gold that has been both beaten and burnished. It was made to cover the mummy of the pharaoh after he died and is an approximation of the physical appearance of the king, notably the narrow eyes, fleshy lips and the shape of his chin which are all in accordance with his mummy though the image in its entirety is most likely, to an extent, idealized. The stripes of the nemes on the headdress and the false inlaid beard are made of blue imitation lapis lazuli. The representation of a vulture’s head seen above the king’s left eye symbolizes sovereignty over Upper Egypt. It is also made of solid gold while its beak is made of horn-coloured glass. The cobra above his right eye symbolizes sovereignty over Lower Egypt, is also made of solid gold and has a head made of dark blue faience and gold eyes inlaid with translucent quartz backed with red pigment. The pharaoh’s ear lobes are shown as pierced although when the reliquary object was discovered the holes were covered with discs made of gold foil. Spread across his chest is a broad collar encrusted with segments of lapis lazuli, quartz, green feldspar with a lotus bud border made of coloured glass cloisonné work. The inscription engraved across the shoulders and back of the mask represents a spell that normally first appeared about 500 years before the 18th dynasty, which was intended to protect the mask from harm and was later incorporated in the Book of the Dead.

      30. Fragment of a Statue of Meritamun, Ramesseum, Temple of the Queen, Egyptian, 19th Dynasty, reign of Ramses II (1290–1224 B.C.E.). Painted limestone, 75 × 44 cm. The Egyptian National Museum, Cairo.

      31. Bust of Ramses II (detail), Tanis, Egyptian, 19th dynasty, reign of Ramses II (1279–1212 B.C.E.). Granite rock, 80 × 70 cm. The Egyptian National Museum, Cairo.

      Ramses II has long been regarded as one of Ancient Egypt’s most celebrated and beloved pharaohs. The third king of the 19th dynasty, Ramses took the throne in his twenties and went on to rule for sixty-six years, during which time he launched numerous campaigns in Syria and the surrounding areas and left behind a huge amount of art and architecture dedicated to his legend and likeness, a testament to the prosperity which abounded during his reign. In addition to his wars with the Hittites and Libyans, he is known for his extensive building programs and for the many colossal statues of him found all over Egypt. These monuments include two temples, the astounding Colossus of Ramses at Memphis, a vast tomb at Thebes and the Ramesseum.

      32. Wooden Head, near Vulci, Etruscan, end of the 7th century B.C.E. Wood, height: 21 cm. Museo Archeologico, Milan.

      33. Statuette of a Woman, known as the “Lady of Auxerre”, Greek, Daedalic style, 2nd half of the 7th century B.C.E. Limestone, paint, height: 75 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

      This limestone sculpture is a testimony to the intense artistic activity that took place in the eastern regions of the Mediterranean basin during the Daedelic period in Greece. It was found in the storeroom of the Auxerre Museum in 1907 without any information regarding its initial discovery. It is an example of sculpture from the Daedalic period seen from the U-shaped face, thick strands of hair and the meticulous, stylistic detailing. Since nothing is known of its origin it is hard to identify the person being depicted and determine its different gestures. The woman could either be a goddess since many terra cotta figurines of Middle Eastern divinities that specifically highlight sexual attributes were being created during the same period. Another possibility could be the representation of a servant in a fertility cult or even the dedicator herself making a gesture in prayer.

      34. Kouros of the Sounion cape, Room 8, Poseidon Temple, Sounion, Greek, Archaic style, c. 600 B.C.E. Naxos marble, height: 305 cm. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

      35. Head of a Colossal Kouros, near the Dipylon Gate, Kerameilkos, Athens, Greek, Archaic style, c. 610 B.C.E. Marble, height: 44 cm. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

      This fragment is a rare early example of the “kouros”, or standing male statue. Its name comes from the Dipylon Cemetery in Athens where it was found. There, in the sixth century B.C.E., statues were sometimes used as grave markers, as they are today. While female statues were modestly dressed, the male versions were nude, perhaps indicating a god or a hero. These statues developed both from a local tradition of small figurines and from the Egyptian tradition of large stone sculpture. The early date of this piece is revealed through the style, which is more decorative than realistic. The eyes and eyebrows are deeply-set, the contours of the face are flat, and the shape of the ear is indicated with concentric, curved lines. The hair is patterned in an Egyptian manner and held back with a band. Over the course of the sixth century, Greek sculpture would lose this patterned, decorative quality and become increasingly realistic and lifelike.

      36. Polymedes of Argos (active around 600 B.C.E.), Kouros, so-called Kleobis, Apollo Sanctuary, Delphi, Greek, Archaic style, c. 590–580 B.C.E. Marble, height: 218 cm. Delphi Archaeological Museum, Delphi.

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