It is a journey with a refined touch that the Scuderie del Quirinale is dedicated to Treasures of the Pharaohsan impressive cultural project that brings to Rome until May 3 a selection of 130 masterpieces of ancient Egyptian art, from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum, many of which are being exhibited outside their country for the first time.
Well-selected pieces, placed in a spacious and well-studied path, which strengthens the individual elements, restore the light that has remained intact after three thousand years.
Curated by Tarek El Awady, former director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, produced by ALES – Arte Lavoro e Servizi of the Ministry of Culture with MondoMostre, with the scientific collaboration of the Egyptian Museum of Turin and made possible thanks to the support of Intesa Sanpaolo and ENI, main sponsor of the project, the exhibition is a fascinating dive into Egyptian civilization through its highest and most intimate forms.
For the exhibition, which cost more than three and a half million euros, 40,000 tickets have already been sold and the organizers hope to receive a total of half a million visitors.
The audience is welcomed by emblematic pieces of a theology of power of the Egyptian elite, such as the golden sarcophagus of Queen Ahhotep II, the Necklace of Golden Flies, an ancient military honor for courage in battle, the collar of Psusennes I, the colorful pectoralis of Hatiay, a mix of lapis lazuli, carnelian, glass and amber.
Treasures of the Pharaohs, installation | Photo: © Monkeys Videolab
Amulets, cups and jewelry are concentrated around the funerary objects of Psusennes I, discovered in Tanis in 1940. The universe of rituals and passages, where death is conceived as transformation, is crossed with the monumental sarcophagus of Tuya, mother of Queen Tiye, protagonist of the section dedicated to funerary practices and the belief of rebirth, where the colors of the funerary stele of Njt-Ptah are especially striking.
To understand the almost scientific precision with which the Egyptians prepared the journey into the afterlife, including formulas, images and tools to cross the invisible world and be reborn in the light of Ra, one need only stop and observe the shabti figurines, the canopic jars and a papyrus from the Book of the Dead. The human face of kingship is revealed instead in the tombs of nobles and officials, such as that of Sennefer, which reveal the daily life of power, dedication and sense of duty of those who served the pharaoh. On the other hand, the pharaoh was considered the incarnation of Horus, the god who had fought to regain the throne of his father Osiris. As Horus, the sovereign defended the throne of Egypt and guaranteed the cosmic order. In dialogue with these figures is the golden armchair of Sitamun, daughter of Amenhotep III, a domestic object of great intimacy, which was served during life and then placed as a gift in the tomb of her grandparents, a testimony of affection and family continuity.
The section dedicated to the “Golden City” Amenhotep III, discovered in 2021 by Zahi Hawass, conveys through the tools, seals and amulets of this extraordinary place the voice of the artisans and workers who built the greatness of the pharaohs. At the end of the journey, the mystery of divine kingship is all contained in one of perhaps the most beautiful pieces of the exhibition, the golden mask of Amenemope, where the king’s face, smooth and perfect, becomes an icon of a body that now belongs to the divine. In addition to the kneeling Hatshepsut offering to the dyad of Thutmose III with Amun, the Triad of Menkaure, the Isiac Mensa stands out – exceptionally awarded by the Egyptian Museum of Turin – which reconnects the symbolic thread that leads from Alexandria to Rome, testifying to the centuries-old spiritual and cultural bond between the two worlds.
Treasures of the Pharaohs, installation | Photo: © Monkeys Videolab
“This fascinating exhibition, which we strongly wanted to have in Rome – said Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli during the presentation to the press – is the result of a relationship between Italy and Egypt, which has its roots in antiquity, which lives in a present of dynamic and fruitful cooperation, and which knows how to project itself into the future. There is an inseparable bond of friendship between Italy and Egypt and this exhibition represents a ideal handshake that supports the activity of cultural diplomacy today”.
Highlighting the deep historical and cultural ties that unite Egypt and Italy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy defined the “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition in Rome as “a true embodiment of the deep-rooted and enduring relationship between our two nations, a bond that stretches back millennia and continues to evolve in a context of mutual respect and appreciation.”
To guide Treasures of the Pharaohs is the catalogue, published by Allemandi and edited by Zahi Hawass, who also signs the short guide and the children’s guide. Also in the catalogue, Massimo Listri’s photographs convey the splendor of the masterpieces on display and the atmosphere of the Egyptian collections.
“This exhibition – explains curator Tarèk El Awady – tells not only about the pharaohs, but also about the people who surrounded them. Each find is a voice that speaks to us about life, faith and immortality. It is a dialogue between past and present, between Egypt and Italy, that has been going on for three thousand years.”
The initiative is part of the cultural relations between Italy and Egypt and the dialogue with the objectives of the Mattei Plan for Africa.
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