Man Confronting a Hyena, Tomb of Amenemhab 1479 BC

Nina de Garis Davies created this watercolor facsimile titled "Man Confronting a Hyena, Tomb of Amenemhab". The dominant visual experience of this artwork lies in its composition of flat shapes and muted colors which evoke a serene yet stylized depiction of ancient Egyptian life. In this piece, Davies skillfully employs line and form to depict a narrative scene, which on closer inspection reveals the cultural codes of ancient Egypt. The human figure is rendered in profile, armed and ready, while the hyena looms, its form partially faded, almost ghostlike. These elements work within a symbolic system where the human represents order and the hyena, chaos. The artwork challenges fixed meanings. Davies invites us to look at historical representation through a contemporary lens, and explore the intersection of past and present. Note how Davies’ piece functions not just aesthetically but as a lens through which we can view ancient Egypt’s cultural and philosophical discourses.