| Summary: | If you think the treasures of Ancient Egypt are just gold, gaudiness and pyramids, think again. In this epic, visually stunning adventure through Ancient Egypt, journalist and art critic Alastair Sooke follows on from his hit series Treasures of Ancient Rome, tracking down the treasures of the longest-lasting civilisation in history and uncovering the true story of their rise and fall throughout the ages. Stepping aside from the well-worn usual clichés of this era, he discovers how Egypt's unique melting pot of geography and culture created some of the most remarkable treasures the world has ever seen. Alastair Sooke concludes the epic story of Egyptian art by looking at how, despite political decline, the final era of the Egyptian Empire saw its art enjoy revival and rebirth. From the colossal statues of Rameses II that proclaimed the pharaoh's power to the final flourishes under Queen Cleopatra, Sooke discovers that the subsequent invasions by foreign rulers, from the Nubians and Alexander the Great to the Romans, produced a new hybrid art full of surprise. He also unearths a seam of astonishing satirical work, produced by ordinary men, that continues to inspire Egypt's graffiti artists today.
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