From Library Journal
Written by British curator Malek (In the Shadow of the Pyramids: Egypt During the Old Kingdom), Egyptian Art is another in Phaidon's solid "Art & Ideas" series. It follows the tradition of other titles in The other three titles were published to coincide with the international traveling exhibition "Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramid," seen recently at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art (MOMA). When the Pyramids Were Built is a streamlined version of the official catalog. With no index, it will not be a first choice for reference, but Arnold (the curator of the Egyptian department at MOMA) provides a well-written and very accessible text. Its readability, combined with the quality of the photographs and the modest price, makes this an excellent purchase for most public libraries. The 25 internationally respected Egyptologists who contributed to Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids provide a valuable look at recent developments in the field. In particular, the redating of many artifacts results in a very different view of the artistic trends of the period. The profuse illustrations vary in quality, but their sheer number, added to the high-level scholarship of the text and the three detailed indexes (general, sites, and owners of the artifacts), makes this an important book for all academic and most medium and large public libraries. Egyptian Treasures from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo covers a much greater time span than the other three titles. The text, written by a virtual who's who in Egyptology, is a bit uneven--as is usually the case with so many authors. However, all of the text is comprehensible, and some of it (such as the argument that Tutankhamun was not murdered) is fascinating. Unfortunately, there is no index, but the layout is chronological, giving some hope of finding specific artifacts. The real treasure of the book lies in Araldo De Luca's stunning photographs. Often, De Luca sees with his camera's eye things that few visitors would notice. The book's large trim allows for many life-size illustrations, and at all times the illustrations do justice to a phenomenal collection. Highly recommended for all academic and most public libraries.
-Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
...appealing, with artfully arranged photographs and illustrations, and an entertaining introduction by Tiradritti on how the museum came to exist. -- The New York Times Book Review, Suzanne MacNeille
From the Publisher
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo houses the world's most celebrated collection of Egyptian antiquities. For the first time, this vast heritage is revealed in all its unparalleled glory in hundreds of magnificent full-color photographs-including many breathtaking close-ups and details-and texts by some of the world's leading Egyptologists. Alongside the legendary treasures of Tutankhamun are some of the most impressive examples of Egyptian sculpture, wall paintings, and decorative art from the pyramid complexes of Giza, Saqqra, and Dahshur, the royal necropolis of Thebes, and the Temple of Karnak, among other fascinating sites. From the finest jewelry to the most imposing statues, every artifact is captured in startling clarity-with special lighting techniques that evoke, as never before, the awe and wonder inspired by these fabulous ancient treasures. 664 photographs in full color 1011/4 x 1411/4" Subsidiary Rights: Selected by Book-of-the-Month Club Francesco Tiradritti is the consultant Egyptologist to the Civic Archaeological Collections of Milan and director of the Italian archaeological mission excavating the tomb of Harwa at Luxor. Araldo De Luca is one of the world's most respected still-life photographers, and a specialist in photographing sculpture and jewelry. He lives in Italy. Suzanne Mubarak is the First Lady of Egypt.
