By Noma Faingold

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is counting on the public’s continuous fascination of ancient Egypt when FAMSF presents, “Treasures of the Pharaohs,” from Aug. 1 of this year to Jan. 31, 2027, at the de Young Museum. The touring exhibition spans 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, showing how the all-powerful pharaohs shaped religious practices, social structure and daily life.

“You have all those thousands of years, from 3100 B.C., when Egypt was unified, to 30 B.C., when it was invaded by Rome, where the king was thought of as the ultimate ruler, but also as a deity. This was ingrained into the belief system,” Renée Dreyfus said, the George and Judy Marcus Curator in Charge of Ancient Art at FAMSF. “It’s the way the gods intended things to be. It’s justice. It’s truth. It’s something the king was supposed to uphold for his people to live in peace and harmony. Being able to track the continuity throughout all of those years is rather important. It tells you that people did not waver in their beliefs.”

“Treasures of the Pharaohs” showcases 130 rare antiquities on loan from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum, in Luxor, Egypt, ranging from monumental granite statues to delicately crafted gold jewelry, many being shown for the first time in North America. The exhibition was curated by Dr. Tarek El Awady, former director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. He will deliver a talk on opening day. Egyptian archaeologist, Dr. Zahi Hawass will also make an appearance that afternoon for a book signing of the exhibition catalogue he wrote.

Dreyfus saw the exhibition in Rome at the Scuderie del Quirinale more than once, including when it opened last October. It drew more than 400,000 visitors and was extended through June 14.

“I was really thrilled because the objects are superb. They are top-of-the-line examples of Egyptian art, including objects from the Golden City,” she said.

For the de Young run, Dreyfus has organized the exhibit a little differently, creating six thematic sections.

“We have more room than Rome,” she said. “I am following the narrative more closely because I feel these objects can speak for themselves, if you lay the exhibition out in a way that is very obvious.”

“Treasures of the Pharaohs” will move to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, in March 14 through Sept. 19, 2027, after the conclusion of this exhibit.

The first section is dedicated to kingship, social hierarchies and rites that affirm the pharaoh’s immortality. A statue from the fourth dynasty of the king Menkaure (2532-2503 BC) is a focal point. The next section concentrates on people who play essential roles to reinforce the pharaoh’s power and link to the gods, such as the queen, priests and scribes.

Other sections dig deep into religious beliefs and the concepts of the afterlife, which we know about because of all of the tombs that were excavated. The religious structure was that there were numerous gods to rely on for healing, fertility, victory and the annual flooding of the Nile. Only one pharaoh, Amenhotep III (1390– 1352 B.C.), tried to convert the population into believing in just one god. His son, Akhenaten, who succeeded Amenhotep, quickly returned to traditional beliefs.

Everyday life is explored in another section, featuring objects such as jewelry, cosmetics, tools and furnishings. The antiquities in this section demonstrate how beauty and refinement shaped life beyond the pharaoh’s circle and reveal how even the most basic items could be elegantly designed, yet be functional.

The Golden City section might be the most spectacular in the exhibit. The New Kingdom, or the Golden Age of Egypt (1550–1070 B.C.), is the most commonly known period other than the Pyramid Age. All the famous pharaohs thrived during that era, from Hatshepsut to Akhenaten and Nefertiti, Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. One piece that Dreyfus loves is a detailed gilded wood chair belonging to Princess Sitamun during the reign of Amenhotep III. It was eventually discovered in a royal tomb.

“It stops me in my tracks every time,” she said. “It was used by Sitamum and then placed in the burial of her grandparents as a precious offering. She loved her grandparents. She wanted it in the tomb of her grandparents for eternity.”

What might appeal to visitors of “Treasures of the Pharaohs,” according to Dreyfus, is more than just getting to peruse preserved ancient artifacts up close.

“People also like seeing what’s the same. They want something to relate to, like love of life and the hope for the afterlife,” she said. “We have the same dreams that they had.”

“Treasures of the Pharaohs” will be on view at the de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., from Aug. 1 of this year through Jan. 31, 2027. Opening day programming includes curator Dr. Tarek El Awady, former director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, delivering a lecture in the Koret Auditorium. Tickets are free, but visitors should reserve seats in advance online at famsf.org. There will also be a catalogue book signing with Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass.