Made In Ancient Egypt

Another exhibition I’ve visited recently is “Made in Ancient Egypt” at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. I hadn’t in fact heard it was on until we got to Cambridge for entirely other reasons, but at least I had a copy of my book with me so I could introduce it to some of the inspirations!

Not many inspirations, in fact, as the exhibition covered ancient Egyptian art and craft over many centuries, and the “Dreams of Amarna” project as it developed, I’ve concentrated, not just on the Amarna period, but on the Amarna period as it was known and understood in Mary Chubb’s time. This was necessary in order to give me some focus, and some sensible basis for my researches and ideas, but it does mean that now I’m not requiring myself to restrict my attention, vast swathes of time are shouting for attention!

Mind you, I did find the original of the glass vessel in the form of a Nile Tilapia that I used to inspire my embroidery!

The original is even more enchanting in person, as it were, plump, crisp in outline, delightfully bright in colour. And having heard a modern glassworker speak to the difficulties of making one, it’s clear we shouldn’t underestimate the ancients!

That was very much the theme of the exhibition, in fact. It was illuminated, and illustrated, by some large reproductions of watercolours made by archaelogical recording artists such as Nina de Garis Davies showing extracts of tomb paintings, and by some translations of stelae showing quite clearly that those who erected them were conscious of, and proud of, their own hard won expertise and that of their ancestors.

The exhibition as a whole covered a huge range of skills, carving, faience modelling (and carving, which I had not known they did!), jewellery making, even textiles – there was a fine tablet woven sash, an old friend from Liverpool World Museum, a very familiar seeming linen dress, and some breathtakingly fine linen strips, which looked unused, still strong and ready to go.

I think the exhibition runs until April, and as it has gathered finds from many museums, not just in the UK, if you are interested, I thought it well worth both time and money.