Peinture : arrivée d'une famille asiatique en Égypte (Beni Haçen - XIIe. dynastie) 1878

Émile Prisse d'Avennes produced this print, “Arrival of an Asiatic Family in Egypt,” in the mid-19th century. It depicts a painting from the tomb of an Egyptian official named Khnumhotep II. The painting itself dates from around 1900 BC and shows a group of people from Canaan or Syria arriving in Egypt, possibly as traders or migrants. It's a record of contact between different cultures, a theme that would have resonated in the 19th century as Europe expanded its reach around the world. We can consider what it might have meant for a 19th-century French audience to see an image of ancient Egyptians receiving foreigners. The original painting was made for the tomb of a high-status individual and would have been intended to demonstrate his wealth and status. Art historians use archaeological records, religious texts, and other historical documents to better understand the social context and meaning of art. The act of interpretation is never neutral; it's always shaped by our own time and place.