Vizier’s Habiliments
© Margret E. Short 2011, OPA. AWA Oil on Linen 9×10
Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two
Galerie Gabrie, Pasadena
This painting depicts the various habiliments Vizier Amenemope might use while relaxing during his favorite pastime (painting) while not advising the Pharaoh. Shown next to the red jar, is the paint box of Amenemope now in the Cleveland Museum of Art. Other items include a chunk of azurite, a jar of red iron oxide, a paintbrush made of reed, and a stick of charcoal.
The red jar shows red iron oxide combined with madder, blues are combinations of azurite and Egyptian blue frit, and greens a mixture of blues and yellow ochre with orpiment. Other mixtures are madder and black for the darks in the perfume bottle and various raw and burnt umbers.
The Cleveland Museum of Art granted permission to use several of their Egyptian collection artifacts including this paint box, which is in surprisingly good condition. It shows only minor cracking along the edges. Surfaces of the paint cakes look slightly dirty which would indicate the smearing of one pigment over another.