During 2001–2007, the fragments of wall-paintings from Nebamun’s
tomb-chapel were extensively conserved.
A piece of dated newspaper found in the nineteenth century
plaster of Paris mount shows that the paintings were originally
mounted and displayed in the Museum from 1832. In 1999, the
paintings were removed for conservation and research work.
One notable discovery was the gold leaf gilding on the eye of
the cat on the Fowling in the Marshes fragment. This is
the only known example of gilding on wall paintings in Theban
tomb-chapels.
The new display aims to create the sense of the tomb-chapel. Two
sets of fragments (of three fragments each) have been rejoined to
produce almost two complete scenes from the tomb-chapel. These give
the impression of whole walls of colour in the tomb-chapel.
The paintings have also been displayed in new mounts, exposing
the back of the fragments so they can be more fully understood as
artefacts.
The fragility of the paintings means that they must now be
displayed at an angle of 70 degrees.
The gallery in detail