Brickmakers Getting Water from a Pool, Tomb of Rekhmire

Rendered with flat, bright pigments, the painting relies on a limited palette of earthy browns, greens, and a striking blue‑black zigzag background. The figures are outlined in black, their postures stylized rather than naturalistic. Framed by painted tree branches at the top and bottom, the composition creates a window‑like effect that isolates the scene within a decorative border.

The image was recorded and reproduced by Egyptologists Nina M. Davies and her husband Norman de Garis Davies, who documented many tomb decorations in the early 20th century. Their collaborative publications appeared under the joint name N. de Gar­is Davies, making individual attribution ambiguous. The panel entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in 1490, where it remains on view.

Brick‑making was a vital industry in New Kingdom Egypt, supplying material for both monumental architecture and domestic structures.

Brick‑making was a vital industry in New Kingdom Egypt, supplying material for both monumental architecture and domestic structures. Tomb paintings often depicted such quotidian tasks to illustrate the deceased’s role in sustaining the afterlife’s provisions. The inclusion of palm trees and a small boat in the background situates the scene within the Nile’s fertile landscape, reinforcing the connection between water, labor, and construction.