This week I had the great pleasure of touring the Saint Louis Art Museum's latest exhibit, "Sunken Cities: Egypt's Lost Worlds," in a small group led by Lisa Cakmak, associate curator of Ancient Art. As a fan of Ancient Egypt going back to my childhood, this was a Must-See, and the experience was as fulfilling as I had hoped. I'll be returning shortly for a closer, second look.
Lisa's favorite piece in the exhibit was mine as well, the incredible statue of Arsino. She stands proudly in one of the last galleries, greeting visitors as they flood into the warm, red space. Her strong, yet graceful figure is highlighted by a wrapped garment that folds elegantly against her skin. I was mesmerized. How could an artist working more than 2,000 years ago, using only crude tools, create the illusion of such a filmy, sheer dress out of dark grey granodiorite, a rock similar to granite? The smoothness of her skin was enviable. Although headless, handless and footless, her beauty was enthralling nonetheless.
Of all the beautiful stones I saw this week, Arsinoe was the most memorable!
"Sunken Cities" runs through September 9th. Make plans to visit soon.