Melbourne Winter Masterpieces Exhibition: Pharaoh

The NGV, in collaboration with the British Museum, proudly presents Pharaoh, an exceptional exhibition celebrating three millennia of ancient Egyptian art and culture. Featuring over 500 artifacts, including monumental sculptures, architectural elements, temple statues, exquisite jewelry, papyri, coffins, and a vast array of funerary items, this exhibition delves into the phenomenon of the pharaohs—those omnipotent kings who claimed divine origins.

The exhibition is organized into seven thematic sections that delve into the various roles and duties of the pharaohs, such as serving as the high priest in temples, leading the nation’s administration, commanding the army, and heading the royal family. Pharaohs were tasked with protecting Egypt from its enemies and maintaining universal order, ruling the Two Lands—Upper and Lower Egypt—from the 1st Dynasty (circa 3000 BCE) until the Roman conquest in 30 BCE.

Through imagery on rings, bracelets, and personal treasures, as well as statues and colossal monuments, the pharaohs portrayed themselves as invincible warriors and devout worshippers of the gods, acting as intermediaries between the divine and humanity. However, the reality of kingship was far more complex. Not all pharaohs were male, nor were they all Egyptian. Despite the pharaoh’s supreme status, Egypt often faced civil wars, foreign conquests, and rival kings. Pharaoh examines the complexities, myths, and iconographies of ancient Egyptian kingship through a thoughtfully curated selection of remarkable objects.

The exhibition spans the entire Ground Level of the NGV and is divided into two parts. Use this map to navigate to the exhibition entrances upon arrival at the gallery.

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/pharaoh/