Beyond Beauty: Transforming the Body in Ancient Egypt is a major new exhibition that lets you experience the ancient Egyptians at their most spectacular and at their most intimate, uncovering a civilisation fascinated by appearance and identity both in life and death.
Rare surviving imagery on exquisite painted coffins, decorated funerary masks, delicate gurines and beautifully carved reliefs emphasise the importance of the body image. Meanwhile jewellery, mirrors, hairpins, scent bottles and makeup provide an insight into some surprisingly familiar daily routines and the ever changing styles of the time. Through artefacts spanning over four millennia, from 3,500 B.C. to 400 A.D.,you can see that the Egyptians cared a lot about transforming the way they looked.
The exhibition was created by the Bulldog Trust in partnership with 7 museums from across the country. Many of the artefacts on display come from the same archaeological excavations, and are seen together collectively for the first time since their discovery by pioneering Victorian Egyptologists.
The exhibition also includes stories about how the objects reached their current UK homes, supported by outstanding original archival material.
On until Sunday 24th April, Exhibition Opening Times: Monday, Thursday – Saturday: 10am – 4:30pm Wednesday Late: 10am – 9pm, Sunday: 11am – 4:30pm, Closed on Tuesday
Two Temple Place, London WC2R 3BD www.twotempleplace.org
“A fabulous juxtaposition: within the neo-gothic splendour of Lord Astor’s former home, the importance of appearance and identity in life and death in ancient Egypt is documented through glamorous painted coffins, funerary masks, figurines, delicate jewellery, mirrors, hairpins. Two Temple Place uniquely gathers under-seen treasures from the UK’s regional museums in ambitious thematic shows of topical resonance.”
The Financial Times Weekend Critic’s Choice (Jackie Wullschlager)
