Festival Scene, Tomb of Amenmose

Art Historical Context

This facsimile captures a vibrant festival scene originally painted on the walls of the Tomb of Amenmose during Egypt’s New Kingdom, Ramesside period (Dynasty 19). Created by Charles K. Wilkinson using tempera on paper at a precise 1:1 scale, it faithfully reproduces the lively procession of musicians, dancers, and offering bearers that adorned the ancient tomb. Such scenes were intended to celebrate life and ensure eternal joy for the deceased in the afterlife, reflecting the Egyptians’ deep belief in continuity between earthly festivities and the divine realm. Wilkinson, a noted artist and archaeologist working with the Metropolitan Museum’s Egyptian Expedition, produced this copy in the early twentieth century to preserve details that might otherwise fade on the original limestone walls. The use of tempera allows modern viewers to appreciate the brilliant pigments and dynamic compositions typical of Ramesside tomb art, where figures are rendered in profile with expressive gestures and colorful attire. Acquired by the museum in 1932 through the Rogers Fund, the facsimile offers an accessible window into ancient Egyptian cultural practices while safeguarding the artwork’s historical integrity for study and appreciation.

About the Artist

Charles K. Wilkinson · 1897–1986

Charles K. Wilkinson (1897–1986), born Charles Kyrle Wilkinson in London on October 13, 1897, was the son of Horace W. Wilkinson, a stained-glass window maker, and Frances Adkins. Serving in World War I, he honed his artistic skills at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, where the influential director Henry Tonks shaped the rigorous training of a generation of draughtsmen. In ...