Volume III Plate 6 - The Temple of Luxor ~ The Temple of Luxor was dedicated to the king of the gods, Amun-Re. It was begun by Ramesses II and became an important part of Egyptian life as a center of festivals. The festival of Opet, which reconciled the human aspect of the ruler with the divine office was held here. Four colossal seated statues of Ramesses flanked the gateway to the temple. The face of the great pylon is carved with episodes from the Battle of Kadesh, commemorating the defeat of the Hittites by Ramsesses II. The two eighty foot tall obelisks were cut from solid red granite, one of them can be found today at Place de la Concorde, in Paris. The pyramidal tip of each tall shaft was covered in sheet gold which flashed in the sunlight, symbolizing the sun god Re in his brilliance.

Framed 28 inches x 35 1/2 inches ~ SOLD

Formerly on loan to the Dallas Museum of Art