Sculptors at Work, Tomb of Rekhmire 1479 BC

Nina de Garis Davies made this watercolor copy of a wall painting from the Tomb of Rekhmire in Thebes, Egypt. It represents sculptors at work, giving us insight into the division of labor and the organization of workshops in ancient Egypt. The men are shown on scaffolding, working on a large statue, possibly of the deceased Rekhmire himself. The painting is not just a depiction of a process, it is a social document. Egypt was a highly stratified society, and the tomb paintings reflect the values and hierarchies of the time. The very act of creating and decorating these tombs was deeply embedded in the religious and political structures of the time. To fully understand this image, we can turn to archaeological reports, social histories of ancient Egypt, and studies of tomb decoration. It's through this careful contextual work that we can begin to appreciate the complex interplay of art, society, and power in ancient Egypt.