Trimming Wood with an Adze, Tomb of Rekhmire 1504 BC

Nina de Garis Davies created this watercolour of "Trimming Wood with an Adze, Tomb of Rekhmire". The painting presents a figure in profile against a neutral backdrop, immediately evoking a sense of ancient Egyptian artistic conventions. The figure’s form is delineated with bold outlines, filled in with a limited palette of earthy reds, whites, and yellows, creating a flat, two-dimensional effect characteristic of ancient Egyptian art. This flattening rejects traditional perspective, focusing instead on clear representation of form and function. The subject, a craftsman, is captured in the act of trimming wood with an adze. This choice underscores the value of labor and craftsmanship in ancient Egyptian society. The composition is carefully balanced, with the verticality of the wood being worked contrasting against the horizontal posture of the figure, stabilizing established values of ancient Egyptian culture and beliefs. Davies' work captures the essence of ancient Egyptian art. It encourages us to reflect on how art can serve as a cultural time capsule.