Jun-6
Happy trails, Iret-net Hor-Irw
Renee Dreyfus, ancient art curator of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, explains a bit more of the reasons behind the museum's decision to reclaim its mummy from The Haggin Museum after an extended loan of 65 years, in a draft she wrote for the upcoming Fine Arts magazine.
Although great numbers of mummies were exported as “curiosities,” they have been an underestimated and underutilized resource that is finally becoming recognized as a rich site of preserved material. Today modern scientific examinations of these relics are providing exciting new insights into the conditions under which these individuals lived, bringing us even closer to an understanding of who they were.
The Fine Arts Museums own four human mummies. One of these, named Iret (net) horrou, was buried in an important middle Egypt cemetery at Akhmim (at the great bend in the Nile). The result of examinations of this mummy represents the core of this exhibition.
Together with other examples studied by the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium, these examinations are bringing to life Egypt’s final era of greatness during the Late Period from the 26th Saite Dynasty (664–525 b.c.) and later. By means of CT (computerized tomography) scans and other tests these Egyptologists and scientists pinpoint the age, sex, and health of these individuals, and through forensic facial reconstruction they observe family resemblances.
I'll miss Iret-net Hor-Irw, the only person I ever knew who was both grotesque and charismatic. But The Haggin Museum remains, along with the Stockton Symphony, the top cultural attraction in the city of Stockton.
Below, The Haggin staff submits a top 10 list of the post-mummy museum's coolest artifacts.
1. Iconic American Illustrator J.C. Leyendecker
As Norman Rockwell’s predecessor at the Saturday Evening Post, Leyendecker created iconic American images and characters, such as the New Year’s Baby. The Haggin Museum’s renowned collection of his illustrations is currently touring the country.
2. Willy the WWII Jeep
Now fully-restored, this historic vehicle was purchased by Stockton high school students in support of the war effort. It had plenty of adventures before finding its way home.
3. American Indian Basketry
Hand-woven baskets by the first Californians are among the dozens of incredibly-detailed artifacts in the American Indian Gallery.
4. Nymphs Bathing
One painting no one can ignore is “The Nymphaeum,” featuring 13 nude beauties by master artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
5. Grand Yosemite Vistas
A dozen of Albert Bierstadt’s monumental landscapes are on display, including one that hung in the White House.
6. 12.5-ton Holt Tractor
A full-size, fully-restored, historic Caterpillar tractor fills the Holt Hall, named for the Stockton inventor and entrepreneur Benjamin Holt.
7. Master European Artists
“The Athlete” by Rodin and paintings by Gerome and Renoir are among the more well-known pieces of art found throughout the museum’s galleries.
8. Walk the Past
Walk the streets of a turn-of-the-century California town and look through the windows of the general store, Chinese herb shop, saloon and more.
9. Victorian Home
Peering through the windows of the Jennie Hunter rooms (transplanted from a real Victorian home) provides a glimpse into the area’s past.
10. Ever-changing Exhibits
New exhibits open every 6-9 weeks.
Happy trails, Iret-net Hor-Irw
Renee Dreyfus, ancient art curator of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, explains a bit more of the reasons behind the museum's decision to reclaim its mummy from The Haggin Museum after an extended loan of 65 years, in a draft she wrote for the upcoming Fine Arts magazine.
Although great numbers of mummies were exported as “curiosities,” they have been an underestimated and underutilized resource that is finally becoming recognized as a rich site of preserved material. Today modern scientific examinations of these relics are providing exciting new insights into the conditions under which these individuals lived, bringing us even closer to an understanding of who they were.
The Fine Arts Museums own four human mummies. One of these, named Iret (net) horrou, was buried in an important middle Egypt cemetery at Akhmim (at the great bend in the Nile). The result of examinations of this mummy represents the core of this exhibition.
Together with other examples studied by the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium, these examinations are bringing to life Egypt’s final era of greatness during the Late Period from the 26th Saite Dynasty (664–525 b.c.) and later. By means of CT (computerized tomography) scans and other tests these Egyptologists and scientists pinpoint the age, sex, and health of these individuals, and through forensic facial reconstruction they observe family resemblances.
I'll miss Iret-net Hor-Irw, the only person I ever knew who was both grotesque and charismatic. But The Haggin Museum remains, along with the Stockton Symphony, the top cultural attraction in the city of Stockton.
Below, The Haggin staff submits a top 10 list of the post-mummy museum's coolest artifacts.
1. Iconic American Illustrator J.C. Leyendecker
As Norman Rockwell’s predecessor at the Saturday Evening Post, Leyendecker created iconic American images and characters, such as the New Year’s Baby. The Haggin Museum’s renowned collection of his illustrations is currently touring the country.
2. Willy the WWII Jeep
Now fully-restored, this historic vehicle was purchased by Stockton high school students in support of the war effort. It had plenty of adventures before finding its way home.
3. American Indian Basketry
Hand-woven baskets by the first Californians are among the dozens of incredibly-detailed artifacts in the American Indian Gallery.
4. Nymphs Bathing
One painting no one can ignore is “The Nymphaeum,” featuring 13 nude beauties by master artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
5. Grand Yosemite Vistas
A dozen of Albert Bierstadt’s monumental landscapes are on display, including one that hung in the White House.
6. 12.5-ton Holt Tractor
A full-size, fully-restored, historic Caterpillar tractor fills the Holt Hall, named for the Stockton inventor and entrepreneur Benjamin Holt.
7. Master European Artists
“The Athlete” by Rodin and paintings by Gerome and Renoir are among the more well-known pieces of art found throughout the museum’s galleries.
8. Walk the Past
Walk the streets of a turn-of-the-century California town and look through the windows of the general store, Chinese herb shop, saloon and more.
9. Victorian Home
Peering through the windows of the Jennie Hunter rooms (transplanted from a real Victorian home) provides a glimpse into the area’s past.
10. Ever-changing Exhibits
New exhibits open every 6-9 weeks.
