Facsimile Painting of a Foreigner, Tomb of Intef

Art Historical Context

This exquisite facsimile painting captures a vivid scene from the Tomb of Intef, a from Egypt's New Kingdom, Dynasty 18 (ca. 1479–1458 B.C.). Dating to the reign of pharaohs like Hatshepsut and Thutmose, the original wall painting likely adorned the tomb's chambers, celebrating the afterlife through detailed depictions of daily life, offerings, and foreign visitors. Here, a "foreigner"—possibly a tribute-bearer or merchant from Nubia or the Levant—stands in profile, a common Egyptian convention that emphasized hierarchy and otherworldliness. Such figures symbolized Egypt's dominance and the exotic wealth flowing into the Nile Valley, reflecting the empire's golden age of expansion. Created by renowned Egyptologist and artist Nina de Garis Davies in the early 20th century, this 1:1 scale tempera on paper reproduction preserves the original's vibrant colors and intricate details with astonishing fidelity. Davies, who worked with her husband Norman de Garis Davies documenting Theban tombs for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, used tempera—a medium of pigment mixed with egg yolk—to mimic ancient techniques, ensuring the fragility of tomb art could be shared worldwide. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1931, it highlights the Met's commitment to safeguarding Egypt's heritage. For visitors, this small yet powerful piece (29 x 12.5 cm) offers a window into ancient Egyptian artistry: bold outlines, flat perspectives, and symbolic hues that conveyed eternal truths. It reminds us how art bridged the living world and the divine, inviting us to ponder the faces of those who crossed paths with the pharaohs.

About the Artist

Nina de Garis Davies · 1881–1965

Nina de Garis Davies, born Anna Macpherson Cummings on January 6, 1881, in Salonika, Greece, to English-Scottish parents Cecil J. Cummings and Sarah Macintosh Tannoch, showed early artistic talent as the eldest of three daughters. After her father's death in 1894, the family relocated to Scotland and then London, where she trained at the Slade School of Art. In 1906, at age 25, a holiday trip to E...