Provisions Stored in the Temple, Tomb of Rekhmire 1479 BC

Editor: Here we have "Provisions Stored in the Temple, Tomb of Rekhmire" from around 1479 BC, currently housed at the Met. It was painted by Nina de Garis Davies. It looks like it's tempera and watercolor on… something. My first impression is just how meticulously arranged everything is; a sort of ancient, Egyptian, hyper-organized grocery list. What stands out to you? Curator: A grocery list – I love that! But more than just a list, it's a glimpse into Rekhmire's world. It shows not only what was important to him in the afterlife but how it was all organised! The stacked provisions, almost like a carefully constructed pyramid of food and drink... Editor: A pyramid, literally and figuratively! So, what were they actually storing? Is there anything symbolic here beyond just everyday items? Curator: Well, we see vessels – probably for oils, unguents, maybe even beer. Then there are baskets brimming with fruits, stacks of bread…staples, yes, but each element held symbolic weight. Food was about sustenance in this life, of course, but also crucial for continued existence in the next, representing regeneration and offering to the gods. And Rekhmire, being a high-ranking official, would need all that to live forever! It all must have seemed so obvious back then. Doesn't it all look quite pleasing in an almost haphazard but precise way? Editor: It really does! I like that, haphazard but precise; I may steal that! So, this mural acted like a visual insurance policy. A reminder, eternally displayed, of what Rekhmire expected in the afterlife? Curator: Exactly! Art as powerful expectation, desire made manifest, to echo throughout time. What a concept, eh? Editor: Totally. Now I want my own tomb mural. Just need to figure out what eternal snacks I want on display!