Carpenters at Work, Tomb of Rekhmire

Nina M. Davies created this facsimile painting of Carpenters at Work, Tomb of Rekhmire as part of the Metropolitan Museum's Egyptian Expedition. Davies and her husband Norman were the foremost copyists of Egyptian tomb paintings in the early 20th century. Their meticulous watercolor reproductions preserve imagery that continues to deteriorate in the original tombs. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Tempera on paper faithfully reproducing the ancient Egyptian wall painting. Davies's technique captures the original colors, proportions, and details of the tomb decoration with scholarly precision.