There aren't many museums that bear the name of significant countries. There's the British museum obviously, but you don't really hear about the Japanese museum, the French museum, the American museum, etc. Being the preeminent museum's honor and the national honor at stake simultaneously. The collection must be both exhaustive to earn the "the"and so superior that it doesn't merely suggest that it's merely the only museum of note.
The Egyptian Museum accomplishes both tasks, its collection draws from all over Egypt and millennia of history. Thus, without the benefit of pictures, trying to summarize the visit would be rather a distraction from completing the rest of the trip. So, instead, a few observation. First, while Egyptian art can be rather statuary-oriented and repeats many of the same style, this does have the advantage of making it easier to see the changes. Some pharaohs have stern expressions, but a few smile. In early years both men and women are sculpted topless but as the centuries pass some of the women pick up dresses. One key point that will come up repeatedly in the temples is that classical Egyptian art was replete with color, although it has faded in many of the most familiar pieces. Hieroglyphics can thus have a visual appeal similar to that of an illuminated manuscript when seen in their full glory.
My favorite art style is probably that of the monotheist pharaoh, Amemhotep IV [who changed his name to Akhenaten]. He introduced a less idealized style, although while more realistic in some ways, it was also more stylized than others. I'm not particularly entranced by perfect physical specimens. I'll take interesting styles and artistic freedom to experiment any day. However, while the various periods, notably the Middle Kingdom, did experiment with realism, ultimately, the more classical style seems to have won out. I wonder how the history of world art would have changed if Amemhotep IV changes would have stuck. The Egyptians were first in so many things, and I don't doubt that their influence has carried through the ages.
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