Metal Working, Tomb of Rekhmire 1504 BC

Nina de Garis Davies created this watercolor facsimile, "Metal Working, Tomb of Rekhmire," capturing a scene from an ancient Egyptian tomb. Davies, working in the early 20th century, dedicated herself to documenting ancient Egyptian art, a field then dominated by men. This image offers a glimpse into the lives of ancient artisans. We see a metal worker, likely a man given the gendered nature of labor at the time, engaged in the meticulous process of crafting metal objects. His posture, seated on a stool, and the tools he uses speak to a specialized skill, passed down through generations. The painting's existence also reveals the colonial dynamics of the period. Davies, a Western woman, is recording and interpreting the artistic heritage of a non-Western culture. Consider how the act of replication, of Davies' hand recreating the scene, influences our understanding of the original. It's a story of labor, skill, cultural exchange, and the complex power dynamics inherent in looking.