"Egyptian Revival: An Everlasting Allure," a new exhibition at the SFO Museum, features Egyptian-inspired objects from nineteenth-century mantel clocks to ornate Victorian table stands and purses from the collections of two APCS members – Vicki Schwager and Jennifer Whitehair.
Egyptian culture first enchanted the West when Cleopatra captured the hearts of legendary Romans Julius Caesar and later Mark Antony more than two thousand years ago. Centuries later, Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign (1798–1801) ignited an inextinguishable fascination with ancient Egypt. Numerous scholars and artists accompanied Napoleon during his expedition to record the sights and discoveries of this mystifying land. A number of other significant events (publishing of "Description of Egypt" (Description de l'Egypte), translation of the Rosetta Stone and the opening of the Suez Canal) contributed to the West’s fascination with Egypt, particularly in the early 1800s and again in the later part of the century.
This novel exposure to Egypt inspired Egyptian Revival. The design style permeated Western decorative arts, furniture, jewelry, architecture, commemorative, and funerary monuments. Obelisks, hieroglyphs, sphinxes, pyramids, scarabs, and lotus blossoms were popular motifs.
In 1922, Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb and the extensive artifacts uncovered with it sparked renewed enthusiasm for all things Egyptian. Ancient Egypt influenced everything from commercial buildings, movie theaters, and films to fashion, mass-produced items, and advertisements.
Then from 1976 to 1979 the exhibit "Treasures of Tutankhamen" toured seven U.S. cities drawing 8 million visitors and setting museum admission records around the country. It re-ignited a fascination with all things Egyptian and gave us such memorable moments as Steve Martin’s King Tut sketch on “Saturday Night Live.”
No other ancient civilization’s art and architecture has captivated the Western world in quite the same manner.
"Egyptian Revival: An Everlasting Allure" is located pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall Departures Lobby, San Francisco International Airport. It is on view to all airport visitors through July 5, 2015. There is no charge to view the exhibition.
The SFO Museum was established by the Airport Commission in 1980 for the purposes of humanizing the Airport environment, providing visibility for the unique cultural life of San Francisco, and providing educational services for the traveling public. The Museum was granted initial accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 1999, reaccredited in 2005, and has the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport.
Today, SFO Museum features twenty-five galleries throughout the Airport terminals displaying a rotating schedule of art, history, science, and cultural exhibitions, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a permanent collection dedicated to the history of commercial aviation.
In 2016, the SFO Museum featured an exhibit devoted to purses and many APCS members participated. Click to see photos of the exhibit: Essential Style: Vintage and Antique Purses | SFO Museum