Eternal Egypt

Edited by exhibition curator Edna Russmann with a contribution form Harry James, this catalogue covers a new and previously under-exploited aspect of Egyptian history. No ancient civilization has a larger and more varied artistic legacy than Egypt, yet exhibitions have traditionally emphasized its importance as historical document rather than as extraordinary artistic expression. The catalogue features the unique and innovative aspects of art from each period, as well as its characteristic styles, forms and genre, including painting, hieroglyphic writing, jewellery and statuary. Edna Russmann's wide-ranging and authoritative introductory essays covers archaism, portraiture and sytlistic innovation in Egyptian art, while Harry James' history of The British Museum collection of Egyptian antiquities provides an insight into how these exquisite art works came together. Each individual piece in the exhibition is given a separate explanatory entry in the catalogue. This book should be valuable for anyone interested in the art history of ancient Egypt.