Beyond the Nile

Hippopotamus of red marble, 1-100 AD, Roman

Last week I posted about the architecture of the The Getty Center high atop a hillside overlooking Los Angeles.  This week I'll show you some treasures from a temporary exhibit that was called "Beyond the Nile; Egypt and the Classical World".

The exhibit was showing Egyptian artifacts along with Greek and Roman works and discussing how these three different cultures traded with each other influencing each other's cultural accomplishments..


Sarcophagus of Wahibreemakhet, 600 BC.  Egyptian

These two statues are dated around the same period (520 to 660 BC).  The one in the back is Egyptian and the one in the front is Greek.  The guide pointed out the differences in the artistic styles of the two cultures.  The Egyptian being more stylized and stiff while the Greek statue is more life-like with defined muscles.

The statue to the left is of Isis holding an infant Horus.  The guide discussed how the Roman sculptors depicted children as just miniature adults and indeed, that baby looks more like a doll than an infant.

I'm always in awe of ancient glass pieces.  I marvel at how something so fragile could survive to this day.

This is an Egyptian cup made of glass with blue pigments and gilded figures.  It dates back to 250-300 AD and it was discovered in the Sudan.

This last piece is the bust of Antinous and it was found in Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli Italy.  It is a handsome figure looking very proud and strong.

It was a fascinating exhibit and I am so glad I decided to tour it with a guide.  I learned so much more listening to her explanations than I would have on my own.

I enjoyed the exhibit so much that I stayed after the tour and wandered back through the rooms to revisit the big pieces and get a closer look at the smaller ones.