One of the most celebrated queens of ancient Egypt, Queen Nefertari was the favored wife of Ramesses II, who called her \u201cThe One for Whom the Sun Shines.\u201d A colossal temple was built in her honor at Abu Simbel, and her tomb in the Valley of the Queens, re-discovered by Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904, is known for its vivid artistry. Sometimes called \u201cthe Sistine Chapel of Egypt,\u201d Nefertari\u2019s tomb is the most richly decorated in the Valley of the Queens, with brilliantly painted scenes featuring gods and winged goddesses, animals, insects, and hieroglyphs illustrating the intricate process of passing through the underworld to eternal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visitors to the exhibition will view personal objects from Nefertari\u2019s tomb plus an array of objects from royal and day-to-day life in Egypt during the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom (1292 \u2013 1189 BCE) \u2014 majestic sculptures, intricately painted sarcophagi, jewelry, and perfume and cosmetics jars. The exhibition includes fragments of Nefertari\u2019s massive pink granite sarcophagus lid, wooden shabtis<\/em> (small figures who could perform manual labor in the afterlife), a beautiful gold and faience amulet in the shape of a djed<\/em>-pillar (a symbol of stability) and a pair of woven palm-leaf sandals\u2014U.S. women\u2019s size 9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archaeological records show that Nefertari was highly regarded and educated. Unlike other women of her status, she could read and write hieroglyphs, and using these skills, she aided the pharaoh in his diplomatic work. While ancient Egyptian society was rigidly stratified by class, women were active participants in all spheres, from the fields and the courtroom to temples and palaces. Queen Nefertari\u2019s Egypt <\/em>explores women\u2019s roles in religion, life in the women\u2019s royal household, and their beauty and adornment rituals. Musical instruments, bronze mirrors, boxes and jars for cosmetic powders and ointments and precious jewelry offer a glimpse of women\u2019s life and notions of beautification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visitors also will discover the village Deir el-Medina, where artisans lived and worked, creating elaborate tombs and necessary materials for the afterlife. Queen Nefertari\u2019s Egypt <\/em>includes household items, tools such as brushes and draftsmen\u2019s sticks, pickaxes and chisels, ostraca (limestone or pottery sketchpads of ancient Egyptian scribes and artists) and funerary votive statues that provide a sense of the way people lived, worked and practiced religion more than 3,000 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cArt has a power to connect us to and deepen our understanding of the lives of others, across time and place,\u201d said Brian Ferriso, Director and Chief Curator of the Portland Art Museum. \u201cWe are thrilled to bring to Portland this incredible glimpse into the lives of ancient Egyptians through the exquisite artistry in this exhibition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Queen Nefertari\u2019s Egypt<\/em> is accompanied by an exhibition catalogue<\/a> available in the Museum Store. Related programs will provide additional context for the exhibition, including a lecture on October 28, titled \u201cWhen Women Ruled the World,\u201d in which Dr. Kara Cooney, professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA, will offer perspective on the root causes of social inequalities that compromised women\u2019s power in the ancient world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exhibition under the curatorship of Mr. Christian Greco and organized by StArt, in collaboration w<\/em>ith the Museo Egizio, Turin, and the Portland Art Museum. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nRelated event<\/h2>\n\n\n
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