NGV: 2024 Winter Masterpieces revealed

More than 500 breathtaking ancient Egyptian artefacts will come to Melbourne from the British Museum when the “world-exclusive” Pharaoh exhibition arrives at the NGV next winter.

Leading visitors through 3000 years of Egyptian antiquity, Pharaoh is a highly ambitious presentation of the British Museum’s collection of Egyptian artefacts, and the largest international loan in the controversial London institution’s history.

Pharaoh will present a gargantuan statue of Ramses II alongside one of the most complete, enduring sculptures of his grandson, Sety II. Among treasured jewellery and sacred relics, other vestiges include a limestone tomb wall inscribed with hieroglyphs and a colossal 1.5-tonne fist from the temple of Ptah.

Beyond the trappings and godly grandeur of the Egyptian elite, Pharaoh also aims to give the public a personal insight into everyday life in one of the most alluring and astonishingly accomplished ancient civilisations.

The exhibition marks the 20th year of the NGV’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series and is predicted to bring thousands to Melbourne.

Announcing the exhibition, Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said, “Pharaoh is an international exclusive exhibition that’s set to captivate visitors next winter, drawing crowds from across the state, country and beyond.”

“This Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition marks a 20-year track record of bringing the world’s most iconic art and cultural exhibitions to Melbourne.”

Director of the NGV Tony Ellwood AM said, “Pharaoh seeks to introduce a new generation of visitors to the perennially fascinating visual culture of ancient Egypt through an unprecedented exhibition of sculpture, architecture, jewellery and more from the British Museum in London.”

Pharaoh will be on display from June 14 to October 6, 2024, at NGV International. •

More information can be found at ngv.vic.gov.au