EVERY TIME ONE THINKS THAT RAMESSES II CAN’T GET ANY BIGGER HE DOES.

WHILE WALKING INTO THE EGYPTIAN WING IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, MY ATTENTION WAS CAUGHT BY THIS BEAUTIFUL, VERY LARGE BUST, WHICH ONCE HAD BEEN PART OF A STATUE. IT STANDS RIGHT IN MIDDLE ON A PEDESTAL AND CAN’T BE OVERLOOKED. NOT JUST BECAUSE OF IT SIZE, BUT BECAUSE OF ITS WARM, SMILING FEATURES – AND YES IT IS RAMESSES II.

LOOKING AT THAT  BEAUTIFUL FACE I COULD NOT HELP BUT WONDER HOW THE ARTIST WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT LOOK SO ALIVE, SO FULL OF FEELINGS? AND WHAT IS MOST AMAZING IS HOW HE COULD MAKE GRANITE LOOK SO SOFT AND ALIVE. YES, IT IS CARVED OUT OF GRANITE, THE HARDEST STONE THAT EXISTS, BUT THE FACE OF RAMSESSES II SHOWS NO SIGN OF HARDNESS AND COULD BE FLESH AND BLOOD.

More from Egypt soon

Brigitte