Egyptian Collection Photography at the Field Museum by Diane Alexander White
In 1988 the Field Museum opened the "Inside Ancient Egypt Exhibit" that was modernized from the original exhibit when the museum opened in 1921. Here is a collection of 4x5 large format transparencies that were included in the 1988 museum calendar, for publications purposes and for public relations that launched the exhibit. It was a huge responsibility to handle and photograph the Egyptian artifacts in the photography studio, and I remember how heavy the Bastet Cat and Osirus figure weighed as I transferred them to the backdrop to best highlight their beauty. If you look at the systrum, vase and mirror you will notice that the back of the objects can be seen with a mirror and that created a view of front and back. Next are Isis and Horus in bronze and stone, followed by mummification dioramas that were installed into the exhibit, and the biggest surprise of all was the lifting of the sarcophagus lid to reveal a female mummy whose skin was totally intact as well as her teeth. It was an emotional experience to photograph the mummified woman who had expired so many millennials ago. We continue on to the Netjer User tomb with a tomb block and false door that will be added to the new Egyptian exhibit in 2028. Next is Ptah and Sokar with a shadow of a pyramid that was photographed for the Egypt calendar using a piece of cardboard in the shape of a triangle to mimic the pyramid. We continue on with two sarcophaguses that were photographed in two different set ups. In the first photograph in this grouping, you will see me with an oversized mural with the photo from this photo shoot. The next cartonnage belongs to the mummy in the previous photos. We finish with the Egyptian Solar Boat of Khufu which dates back to 4,500 years and was discovered near the Great Pyramid of Giza. More photos will be added in the near future, stay tuned!
