An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Cosmetic Jar in the Form of the God Bes664–525 BCE
Both ancient Egyptian men and women loved cosmetics. Unguents, oils, and perfumes made from aromatic plant resins and gums were obtained at great cost from distant lands. The objects identified with cosmetics were given lavish treatment. The god Bes, patron god of cosmetics, is the subject of this colorful jar.
Bes was the Egyptian god of many things, including cosmetics, war, and childbirth.
Egyptian blue
Overall: 9.3 x 6.1 x 4.1 cm (3 11/16 x 2 3/8 x 1 5/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
In the golden light of the ancient Egyptian sun, there lay a world where beauty was celebrated with the same fervor as life itself. Men and women, adorned in jewels and linen, cherished not just the glow of their skin but the scents that wrapped around them like a gentle embrace.
Imagine the bustling markets, filled with vibrant colors and heady fragrances. Aromatic plant resins and gums—brought from far-off lands at no small expense—were transformed into unguents and perfumes that whispered elegance and luxury. Every jar, every vial, was more than just a container; it was a vessel of allure, carefully crafted and bestowed with lavish attention.
At the heart of this world stood the god Bes, a guardian of beauty and merriment. Artists carved his likeness into a colorful jar, each brushstroke imbued with reverence. Bes, with his playful demeanor and protective spirit, offered a sense of joy and celebration to those who sought his favor.
In the sacred spaces where this jar rested, one could almost hear the laughter of the people and the soft murmur of their dreams—their desire to adorn themselves not just as a way to look pleasing to the eye, but as a testament to the vibrant life that coursed through them. In every application of oil and dusting of powder, a story was told: one of beauty, devotion, and the timeless human connection to aesthetics.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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