Page 198 - Features of an Era
P. 198
It is noted that the mentioned items have a remarkable European style, especially
in the tradition of placing the scepter and the crown on the velvet pillow similar to
the tradition of coronation in the ancient European courts.
The most remarkable to dwell on this painting is the adoption of the European
scepter form by Egyptian ruler’s court, known as the « the hand of justice scepter»
which takes the form of a stick that ends with a solid of the hand palm. This type of
scepters was particularly relevant to the kings of France; it appears in a number of
paintings that chronicle the moments of their accession to the thrones. Napoleon
Bonaparte was keen to follow the same royal ceremony of France; he appears in
the paintings of his coronation next to the hand of justice scepter. This is why we
compare the painting of Tawfiq accession to the throne with one of the paintings of
the coronation of Napoleon to understand the conformity of the details mentioned
above and the inspiration of the traditions of the Egyptian coronation at the time that
were drawn from the traditions of the French coronation.
Napoleon Bonaparte in coronation costumes, oil on canvas, 223 × 144 cm, by François Pascal Simon
(Baron Gerard), Musée Fesch collection, France, 1805.
One of the exhibition sculptures chronicles the promulgation of the 1923
constitution during the reign of King Fouad. This led the Italian sculptor Ernesto
Gazzeri (1965 - 1866) to embody the figure of the king as such, showing delicate
features, and holding the constitution document in a kinetic posture in which it
presents pride and confidence.
198
in the tradition of placing the scepter and the crown on the velvet pillow similar to
the tradition of coronation in the ancient European courts.
The most remarkable to dwell on this painting is the adoption of the European
scepter form by Egyptian ruler’s court, known as the « the hand of justice scepter»
which takes the form of a stick that ends with a solid of the hand palm. This type of
scepters was particularly relevant to the kings of France; it appears in a number of
paintings that chronicle the moments of their accession to the thrones. Napoleon
Bonaparte was keen to follow the same royal ceremony of France; he appears in
the paintings of his coronation next to the hand of justice scepter. This is why we
compare the painting of Tawfiq accession to the throne with one of the paintings of
the coronation of Napoleon to understand the conformity of the details mentioned
above and the inspiration of the traditions of the Egyptian coronation at the time that
were drawn from the traditions of the French coronation.
Napoleon Bonaparte in coronation costumes, oil on canvas, 223 × 144 cm, by François Pascal Simon
(Baron Gerard), Musée Fesch collection, France, 1805.
One of the exhibition sculptures chronicles the promulgation of the 1923
constitution during the reign of King Fouad. This led the Italian sculptor Ernesto
Gazzeri (1965 - 1866) to embody the figure of the king as such, showing delicate
features, and holding the constitution document in a kinetic posture in which it
presents pride and confidence.
198
