One remarkable object to emerge from among the ritual couches, chariot pieces and numerous boxes piled together in the Antechamber of the tomb was this Wood Half-length Bust of Tutankhamun. Howard Carter thought that the painted and gilded torso, wearing a flat crown adorned with a sacred uraeus or serpent emblem but missing its arms and legs, was a mannequin upon which Tutankhamun's tailors fitted his royal clothing. It's more likely that this very realistic portrait of the monarch served some obscure funereal role.
To read a full review, please see Special Exhibition Catalogue Review - Tutankhamun's Tomb.
About the catalogue and exhibition:
Duotone reproductions of more than 70 mostly black-and-white vintage images by British photographer Harry Burton (1879-1940) of the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun (ruled ca. 1336-1327 B.C.) and its excavation comprise Tutankhamun's Tomb: The Thrill of Discovery (The Photographs of Harry Burton). The volume has been published in conjunction with the special exhibition Discovering Tutankhamun: The Photographs of Harry Burton, on view from December 19, 2006 through April 29, 2007 at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82 Street, New York, NY 10028-0198 (Telephone: 212-535-7710; Website). The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 AM to 9:00 PM. SUGGESTED admission is $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for senior citizens (65 and older) and $10.00 for students with valid school identification. This includes same-day admission to The Cloisters in Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park. Paid parking is available in The Museum Garage.
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From your Guide: Stan Parchin, Senior Correspondent for Museums and Special Exhibitions, is a specialist in ancient, late-medieval and Renaissance art and history, and a regular contributor to About Art History. You may read all of his Special Exhibition and Catalogue Reviews here.