Female Musicians 1400 BC

Charles K. Wilkinson made this facsimile of ‘Female Musicians’ with watercolor and tempera on paper. The original mural this is based on would have been made using mineral pigments, ground and mixed with a binder like gum arabic. This tempera would then have been applied to a prepared plaster surface using brushes of varying sizes. This careful work wasn't simply 'art', but also a display of social standing. The wall paintings were often commissioned by wealthy patrons to adorn tombs and palaces, signifying their status. The presence of musicians suggests a celebration of life, but also an acknowledgement of death. The mural-making process demanded both skilled labor and expensive materials, reinforcing divisions in society. Wilkinson’s copy flattens the social hierarchy, making the image accessible to all. Understanding the artistic creation as tied to its context and materials allows us to appreciate the multiple layers of meaning embedded within it.