Elihu Vedder at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Eliahu Vedder's The Questioner of the Sphinx from 1863 is a quirky offshoot of the Orientalist movement. The haggard and despairing man is asking the most profound questions of the Sphinx, but his inevitable fate is indicated by the human skull lying exposed in the sand. Vedder is an American, and it seems possible that his profound fatalism at this particular date--he is only about 27--may be due at least in part to the Civil War.

Elihu Vedder, The Questioner of the Sphinx, 1863

Note:  All is not yet lost. You can still cheer yourself up by visiting my previous blog posts about the Sphinx.

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Ancient Egypt at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Our brief tour of Boston now takes us to the Museum of Fine Arts. Let's start with a sampling of the collection from Ancient Egypt.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Pseudo-group statue of Penmeru, Egypt (Giza)

Triad of Penmeru, Egypt (Giza)

The Tomb of Penmeru

Frieze

Pottery coffin, Egypt (Tell el-Yahudia), Dynasties 19-22, 1293-712 B.C.

Sarcophagus of Kheper-Re, Egypt (Giza Tomb G 7757 A), Saite Period, Dynasty 26, reign of Amasis, 570-525 B.C.

Set of dummy canopic jars, Egypt, Dynasties 21-25, 1070-656 B.C.

Cartonnage case containing mummy of Tabes, Egypt (Thebes), Third Intermediate Period, early Dynasty 22, 930-880 B.C.

Cartonnage case containing mummy of Tabes, Egypt (Thebes), Third Intermediate Period, early Dynasty 22, 930-880 B.C.

Mummy mask, Egypt (Meir), early Roman Period, 1st half of 1st century A.D.

Animal figurines

Colossal statue of King Menkaura, Egypt (Giza, pyramid temple of Menkaura), Old Kingdom, Dynasty 4, reign of Menkaura, 2490-2472 B.C.

Image added September 4, 2015

Photo of the colossal statue of King Menkaura prior to the 1920's plaster reconstruction.

Image added September 4, 2015

Note:  You know the drill. There's more to read here about the great town of Boston. I also have a couple of posts about David Roberts's stunning vision of Ancient Egypt.

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David Roberts: The Sphinx

Last year, Bonhams sold an incomplete set of Egypt and Nubia by David Roberts. The set includes this print of the Sphinx shows the ancient monument before its excavation. If that's not enough, Roberts also gives us pyramids, caravans, a splendid sunset, and cloud formations as dramatic as the rest of the scene.

David Roberts, "Approach of the Simoom...Desert of Gizeh," Egypt and Nubia
 Bonhams, London, Knightsbridge, March 27, 2012

David Roberts, Egypt and Nubia
 Bonhams, March 27, 2012

 http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20135/lot/73/

David Roberts, "Approach of the Simoom...Desert of Gizeh," Egypt and Nubia
 Bonhams, London, Knightsbridge, March 27, 2012

 http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20135/lot/73/

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The Great Temple by David Roberts

On November 13, an incomplete collection of monumental plates from Egypt and Nubia (1846) by David Roberts was sold at Bonhams for 7,500 GBP, The print reproduced in the auction house's listing is "The Great Temple of Aboo-Simble" (Abu-Simbel). It is remarkable for its perspective, its detail, and its sweeping scale, which includes six human figures..

David Roberts, "The Great Temple of Aboo-Simble, Nubia," from Egypt and Nubia, Vol. 1

David Roberts, Egypt and Nubia, Bonhams Auction Listing

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20139/lot/158/?passages=True&earliest_first=True&search_query=1&past_sales=past&back_to_year=2003&value_data_currency=GBP&query=David+Roberts&create_facets=True

David Roberts, "The Great Temple of Aboo-Simble, Nubia," from Egypt and Nubia, Vol. 1

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