queen nefertiti elements of arts used

Making Up The Past is a column looking at great women from history and how they used cosmetics to shape their identities, from ancient queens tomodern artists. ", "Neues Museum refuses to return the bust of Queen Nefertiti to Egyptian museum", "Nefertiti's 'hidden face' proves Berlin bust is not Hitler's fake", "Nefertiti's 'Hidden Face' Proves Famous Berlin Bust is not Hitler's Fake", "Egypt's Rubbishes Claims that Nefertiti Bust is 'Fake', "Nondestructive Insights into Composition of the Sculpture of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti with CT and the dependence of object surface from image processing", "Nondestructive Insights into Composition of the Sculpture of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti with CT", "Hidden Face In Nefertiti Bust Examined With CT Scan", "Egypt Vows "Scientific War" If Germany Doesn't Loan Nefertiti", "Queen Nefertiti rules again in Berlin's reborn museum", "Germany: Time for Egypt's Nefertiti bust to go home? From Napoleons invasion of Egypt at the turn of the 19th century, to the uncovering of Tutankhamuns tomb in 1922, to The Mummy franchise, the public appetite for Egyptology has rarely waned. It was found by a German team led by Ludwig Borchardt in 1912 during excavations of a workshop belonging to an. From France, the art of nail treating was transferred to the United States. Her sexuality, emphasized by her exaggeratedly feminine body shape and her fine linen garments, and her fertility, emphasized by the constant appearance of the six princesses, indicate that she was considered a living fertility goddess. Nefertiti, the wife of the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, is one of the most famous ancient Egyptian queens. Naturalism was not only used to depict the pharaoh but also was used for members She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wears her own unique headdressa tall, straight-edged, flat-topped blue crown. Elements of Art: (We can now confidently name them in our sleep) Line: Curved (or "the lady line"), which makes up the detail. According to historical records, Nefertiti had six daughters with Akhenaten by the names of Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankhes-en-pa-aten, Neferneferuaten-tasherit, Neferneferure, and Setepenre. Similarly unheard of was the symbolic precedence given to Queen Nefertiti in the art of the Amarna Period. Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. The pharaoh Amenhotep IV not only changed his name from Amenhotep to Akhenaten, and the religion of ancient Egypt from polytheistic to monotheistic, but he also challenged the norm of Egyptian . [20][21] The pupil of the right eye is of inserted quartz with black paint and is fixed with beeswax. It appears Thutmose, according to the queens wishes, underwent an ancient form of Photoshopping, refining her features until the image she wanted to present to the world was realised a vision of beauty so enduring that even in the 21st century, a British woman spent 200,000 trying to reshape herself as the Beauty of the Nile. This neon Nefertiti denies the viewer eye contact, drawing us in while keeping us at a distance. Painted in the Valley of the Queens, KV 66, by Charles K. Wilkinson, for the Egyptian Expedition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1922-1923. "[15][43] While the bust was under American control, Egypt requested the United States to hand it over; the US refused and advised Egypt to take up the matter with the new German authorities. Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded. According to Wildung, it showed "the continued relevance of the ancient world to today's art. Instead of elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, in art you have these building blocks: Line Shape Form Space Texture Value Color Artists manipulate these seven elements, mix them in with principles of design, and compose a piece of art. Figures have variously been attributed as Akhenaten and Nefertiti, Smenkhkare and Meritaten, or Tutankhamen and Ankhesenamun. Line is an element of art that is used to define space, contours and outlines. The three were assimilated with the divine figures in one of Egypt's most important creation myths: the birthing of the twins Shu and Tefnut from the androgynous creator god Atum. Casting his own face onto that of Nefertiti, Lahlou collapses artist and muse in order to consider the queens image as a nostalgic symbol of femininity. Nefertiti's parentage is mostly conjectured with two prevailing theories. Nefertiti (c. 1370-1330 BCE) was an Egyptian queen and the Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten, an Egyptian pharaoh. Stierlin argues that the missing left eye of the bust would have been a sign of disrespect in ancient Egypt, that no scientific records of the bust appear until 11 years after its supposed discovery and, while the paint pigments are ancient, the inner limestone core has never been dated. false As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts. In his fifth regnal year, the pharaoh began his religious movement and renamed himself Akhenaten. Theories suggest she could have been an Egyptian royal by birth, a foreign princess or the daughter of a high government official named Ay, who became pharaoh after Tutankhamun. It was created in Egypt, circa 1345 BC, by the sculptor Thutmose, who was the official court sculptor of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, and has occupied the post since at . [32] The results were published in the April 2009's Radiology. [21][23] Zahi Hawass, former Egyptian Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, suggested that Thutmose created the left eye, but that it was later destroyed. The background of the eye-socket is unadorned limestone. Cleopatras signature green eyeshadow, likely worn also by Nefertiti, was formulated from malachite. There are depictions of her playing chess, driving a chariot, and hitting the enemies, which reinforces the fact that Nefertiti stood at almost the same authoritative position as her husband. In bombed-ravaged Berlin she was also viewed as a symbol of flawless and unscathed beauty. [39][43] In 1989, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak viewed the bust and announced that Nefertiti was "the best ambassador for Egypt" in Berlin. 3,500-Year-Old Unfinished Obelisk Reveals Incredible Engineering of Ancient Egypt, Ancient Egyptian Mummy Has Sophisticated Pattern Woven Around Head, 7 Surprising Facts About the Egyptian Pyramids, Colorized Photos Reveal the Historic Moment King Tuts Tomb Was Discovered. Bust of Queen Nefertiti in the Neues Museum, Berlin. But some believe she secretly took her husband's place as pharaoh after he died. There is good evidence for a King Smenkhkare, but the identification in the 20th century of a male body buried in the Valley of the Kings as Tutankhamens brother makes it unlikely that Nefertiti and Smenkhkare were the same person. In Nefertiti (Black Power) (2018), the profile of the Egyptian queen is lit up with neon lights. The children are not as important, so they are much smaller. [35] Simultaneously, a campaign called "Nefertiti Travels" was launched by cultural association CulturCooperation, based in Hamburg, Germany. Hawass said, "Stierlin is not a historian. The statue of Queen Nefertiti is one of the most famous examples of ancient art, depicting the image of one of the most beautiful women of antiquity. ", "A 3,500-Year-Old Queen Causes a Rift Between Germany and Egypt", "Archaeological Controversy: Did Germany Cheat to Get Bust of Nefertiti? Upon its discovery in 1912, the portrait immortalized Nefertiti as the symbol of ideal feminine beauty and continues to be a popular attraction at the Neues Museum in Berlin. The stronger the red shade was, the more power the person possessed. [10][39][43] In 1925, Egypt threatened to ban German excavations in Egypt unless the bust was returned. Ruling during the most prosperous period of Egyptian history, she and Akhenaten oversaw a religious revolution, replacing the pantheistic beliefs of previous rulers with one divinity: Ra, the sun god. Nefertiti's other daughter, Ankesenenpaaten became Ankhesanamun after her father's death, reflecting Egypt's return to polytheism. The bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, considered to be the Mona Lisa of the ancient world, may be a fake, according to two art experts. By tethering together hallmarks of contemporary and ancient aesthetics in plaster, Brown elevates this popular modern accessory by asserting its proximity to ancient Egypt, showing once more that Nefertiti is among the most powerful symbols of the African diaspora. She may have been the co-regent of Egypt with Akhenaten, who ruled from 1352BCE to 1336BCE. They are intelligent and industrious, using their striking appearance and talents to achieve positions of influence: Iman launched a cosmetics label catering to women of colour back in 1994, while the runaway success of Fenty Beauty and Fenty x Puma pay testament to Rihannas entrepreneurial instincts. Ironically, the Aten temples were dismantled to be used as foundations and fill for additions to the Great Temple of Amun, whom the Aten had briefly displaced. Egyptian Funerary Texts and Painted Coffins Funerary books provided guidance for the dead to reach the afterlife safely. 2. Nefertitis parentage is unrecorded, but there is strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that she was the Egyptian-born daughter of the courtier Ay, a maternal uncle of her husband, Akhenaton. Others have suggested that she outlived her husband, took the name Smenkhkare, and ruled alone as female king before handing the throne to Tutankhamen. [3] It is currently on display at the Neues Museum in Berlin, where it was originally displayed before World War II.[3]. [54], Athena van der Perre, The Year 16 graffito of Akhenaten in Dayr Ab innis. [12] Another theory suggested that the existing bust was crafted in the 1930s on Hitler's orders and that the original was lost in World War II. The bust went on display at a museum in Berlin in the 1920s and immediately attracted worldwide attention, causing Nefertiti to become one of the most recognizable and, despite a missing left eye, most beautiful female figures from the ancient world. In 1929, Egypt offered to exchange other artifacts for the bust, but Germany declined. Date: Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten. Two years earlier, the discovery by Howard Carter of her stepson Tutankhamuns tomb sent western Europe into a frenzy: fashionable women were slicking back their hair and wearing jewelled scarab brooches, and the Art Deco style took direct cues from the regimented decorative schemes of ancient Egyptian art. Nefertiti is also shown in a variety of roles, including driving chariots, attending ceremonial acts with Akhenaten, and smiting enemies. Yet as an ancient muse, her cultural potency is only enhanced by this mystique. The Nefertiti Bust is a painted stucco-coated limestone bust of Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Bust of Nefertiti, Queen Consort of Akhenaten, 18th Dynasty, Egypt (Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons). There are few cultures as fixated with physical appearance as the ancient Egyptians. In 1912, a team of German archaeologists led by Ludwig Borchardt were trawling the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna when they uncovered a series of stone busts. They are the building blocks used to create a work of art. [36][47] In 2009, when the bust was moved back to the Neues Museum, the appropriateness of Berlin as its location was questioned. For all the lore that surrounds Nefertitis image, very little is known about the life of the beautiful one, as she is called. Unfinished head of Nefertiti. Description is useless, must be seen. [14] The bust is described as "the best-known work of art from ancient Egypt, arguably from all antiquity". Unsurprisingly for the era, Nefertiti was fifteen when she married sixteen-year-old Amunhotep IV and assumed the throne as queen consort. It is unknown why a woman like Nefertiti would have wanted to be portrayed like this. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Beneath the specifics of her make-up regime and aesthetic preferences, it seems that even ancient Egyptian queens were just like us. The portrait bust of Nefertiti is one of the most famous icons of Ancient Egypt, yet the queen herself is still shrouded in mystery and intrigue. The Bust. Sculptures from the Egyptian Era + Symbolic elements were widely used such as forms, hieroglyphics, relative size, location, materials, color, actions and gestures. A radar survey around the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the . [30], The bust was first CT scanned in 1992, with the scan producing cross sections of the bust every five millimetres (0.20in). Period, and era when it was created 3. Updates? Although not pharaoh herself, Nefertiti's name has persisted because written evidence suggests she held a uniquely influential role as wife and queen in the court. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nefertiti, World History Encyclopedia - Biography of Nefertiti, American Research Center in Egypt - Nefertiti: Egyptian Wife, Mother, Queen and Icon, Nefertiti - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Nefertiti - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Akhenaton and Nefertiti under the sun god Aton. Were also on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flipboard. Original from Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Valley of the Queens (Biban el-Malikat), Tomb of Nefertari (QV 66), facsimile: h. 70 cm (27 9/16 in); w. 46 cm (18 1/8 in), Egyptian Wall Paintings: The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Collection of Facsimiles, Khaemwaset Overseeing his Estate, Tomb of Khaemwaset. Stierlin claims that Borchardt may have created the bust to test ancient pigments and that when the bust was admired by Prince Johann Georg of Saxony, Borchardt pretended it was genuine to avoid offending the prince. "Isa Genzken: Make Yourself Pretty!" Despite having no sons, the art of Amarna depicts the royal couple as having a strong, loving relationship. Nefertiti and Akhenaten had six known daughters: Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankesenpaaten (later known as Ankhesanamun), Neferneferuagen Tasherit, Neferneferure, and Setepenre. Its not just the specific motif of a cat-eye that lends this sculpture, and Nefertiti herself, an indescribable magic. Nefertiti has become one of the most famous women of the ancient world and an icon of feminine beauty. [19], Egyptian authorities also dismissed Stierlin's theory. Representations of Nefertiti with her six daughters suggest that she was also considered a living fertility goddess. As consort to Pharaoh Akhenaten the couple ruled from 1353 to 1336 BCE during one of the most contentious periods of Egypt's cultural history. The statues of Nefertiti are well-known for depicting the ancient queen as a paradigm of female beauty; the most famous example being her painted bust located at the Neues Museum in Berlin. Theres Iman in full Pharaonic drag for Michael Jacksons 1992 Remember The Time music video, or Rihannas 2017 Vogue Arabia cover, where the singer sported not only Nefertitis signature cat-eye but also the traditional Egyptian headdress even after thousands of years, some beauty trends never go out of style. The Amarna period, roughly 1353-1336 BCE, introduced a new form of art that completely contradicted what was known and revered in the Egyptian culture. 30.4.142. Nefertiti's steward during this time was an official named Meryre II. Ercivan suggests Borchardt's wife was the model for the bust and both authors argue that it was not revealed to the public until 1924 because it was a fake. Sun god - wood, paint, plaster waterfall - paint, canvas white - paint, wood Match the contrasting elements in this painting by David Hockney. It's not that the children actually were that size, it's . The Nefertiti bust was discovered in Amarna in 1912 (left). Germanys claim to the ancient artwork has been contested by Egyptian authorities and activists alike. The bust was displayed in Berlin's Neues Museum on Museum Island until the museum was closed in 1939; with the onset of World War II, Berlin museums were emptied and artifacts moved to secure shelters for safekeeping. Hawass also claimed that Thutmose had created the eye, but it was later destroyed. It is one of the most-copied works of ancient Egypt. As the "'most precious stone in the setting of the diadem' from the art treasures of 'Prussia Germany'", Nefertiti would re-establish the imperial German national identity after 1918. Nefertiti, also called Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, (flourished 14th century bce ), queen of Egypt and wife of King Akhenaton (formerly Amenhotep IV; reigned c. 1353-36 bce ), who played a prominent role in the cult of the sun god known as the Aton. Charles K. Wilkinson, Period: Amarna style, revolutionary style of Egyptian art created by Amenhotep IV, who took the name Akhenaton during his reign (1353-36 bce) in the 18th dynasty. Nefertiti's images almost always show the queen with graceful features; high cheekbones, slanting eyes, arched brows, a full mouth, and a slender neck. Swiss historian Henri Stierlin, author of several books. Its interesting that the most iconic image of the might of ancient Egypt a civilisation that spanned over three millennia is that of Nefertiti, one of its most unlikely leaders. The bust of Nefertiti is perhaps one of the most iconic and copied works of ancient Egyptian art in the world and with . Alternate titles: Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester. [13][44] According to Kurt G. Siehr, another argument in support of repatriation is that "Archeological finds have their 'home' in the country of origin and should be preserved in that country. The face is completely symmetrical and almost intact, but the left eye lacks the inlay present in the right. [17] In 1918, the museum discussed the public display of the bust, but again kept it secret at the request of Borchardt. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Hawass wanted Germany to lend the bust to Egypt in 2012 for the opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum near the Great Pyramids of Giza. [22] The ears have suffered some damage. "I will never relinquish the head of the Queen. Each element was sculpted separately to be later assembled into one statue. Nefertiti was the chief wife of the 'heretic pharaoh' Akhenaten, who ruled Late Bronze Age Egypt towards the end of the 18th Dynasty (approximately 1352-1336 BC). Akhenaten and Nefertiti ruled over the possibly wealthiest period in Ancient Egyptian history. Tone/ volume/ shading: 3D rounded/ bulgy forms which seem to be . Relief dates to after the former king's death, c. 1335 BCE. Several German art experts have attempted to refute all the claims made by Hawass, pointing to the 1924 document discussing the pact between Borchardt and Egyptian authorities. It was found by a German team led by Ludwig Borchardt in 1912 during excavations of a workshop belonging to an. As it remained unfinished, the head retained the guiding lines of the sculptor: the eyebrows were marked with . The famous family altar in the collection of the gyptisches Museum [fig.] To gain a more in-depth understanding of queen Nefertiti, read on to learn 11 facts about her life. Although Stierlin had argued "Egyptians cut shoulders horizontally" and Nefertiti had vertical shoulders, Hawass said that the new style seen in the bust is part of the changes introduced by Akhenaten, the husband of Nefertiti. "In the middle, this wonder, Nefertiti, will be enthroned," Hitler said. [39], In 2016 a freedom of information request was made to the Egyptian Museum for access to a full colour scan of the bust that had been made by the museum 10 years prior. She married Amenhotep IV, at the age of 15. Nefertiti's glory resurfaced on December 6, 1912, when German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt uncovered her now iconic bust among the ruins at Amarna. Medium: Limestone. A relief of a royal couple in the Amarna style. [35] His statement also said that the authority to approve the return of the bust to Egypt lies with the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the German culture minister. She represented the female element of Aten while her husband represented the maleand both acted as a bridge between Aten and the Egyptian people. Some also propose that Nefertiti actually served as the female pharaoh Neferneferuaten, whom Egyptologists know was a female ruler who ruled toward the end of the Amarna Period. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Funerary mask of Tutankhamun (Photo: Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons). You cannot describe it with words. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Possible interpretation: unification of Upper and Lower Egypt As mentioned above, there have been a number of theories related to the scenes carved on this palette. Scepter of Egypt II: A Background for the Study of the Egyptian Antiquities in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Hyksos Period and the New Kingdom (1675-1080 B.C.). She represented the female element of Aten while her husband represented the maleand both acted as a bridge between Aten and the Egyptian people. [14][19], The bust is 48 centimetres (19in) tall and weighs about 20 kilograms (44lb). Students who can identify the elements and evaluate their role in the composition of a work of art will be better able to understand an artist's choices. Of course, there is still speculation as to whether Nefertiti was really that beautifulor if she just had a good sculptor. [4][8] The bust does not have any inscriptions, but can be certainly identified as Nefertiti by the characteristic crown, which she wears in other surviving (and clearly labelled) depictions, for example the "house altar". "[23], According to David Silverman, the bust reflects the classical Egyptian art style, deviating from the "eccentricities" of the Amarna art style, which was developed in Akhenaten's reign. They will then create an abstract line art piece based on an activity they enjoy to do or watch. The circumstances surrounding Nefertiti's death are a mystery, as her name disappears from the historical record at about the 12th year of Akhenaten's 17-year reign. Some historians believe that Nefertiti may have acted as her husbands coruler rather than his consort, but the evidence is not conclusive. [39] The Neues Museum suffered bombings in 1943 by the Royal Air Force. 4. [11][39] In 1967, the bust was moved to the Egyptian Museum in the Charlottenburg borough of Berlin and remained there until 2005, when it was moved to the Altes Museum. Nefertiti is well-known today for a life-size bust that shows her wearing a crown. With the foundation of their new monotheistic religion worshipping the sun god Aten, Nefertiti and Akhenaten further separated themselves from the old reign of Ancient Egypt and built a new capital city named Amarna. At the same time, it is also an eloquent witness to . [10][11] Borchardt's diary provides the main written account of the find; he remarks, "Suddenly we had in our hands the most alive Egyptian artwork. Paintings show her being worshipped alongside her husband in a way that was unusual for Egyptian queens. Nefertiti (meaning "the beautiful one has come forth") was the 14th-centuryBCE Great Royal Wife (chief consort) of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. : The Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 346. Its this belief that left us with the legacy of extraordinary objects from Egyptian antiquity that populate museums across the globe, thanks to their love of durable materials like gold or precious stones and their knack for preservation, with many objects sealed away in air-tight tombs until their modern rediscovery. The inner face has creases around her mouth and cheeks and a swelling on the nose. [11] Initially stored in the cellar of the Prussian Governmental Bank, the bust was moved in the autumn of 1941 to the tower of a flak bunker in Berlin. (Photo: Stock Photos from Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock). The result of the examination was published in the book Portrait of Queen Nofretete in 1923:[25], When the bust was first discovered, no quartz to represent the iris of the left eyeball was present as in the other eye, and none was found despite an intensive search and a then significant reward of 1000 being put up for information regarding its whereabouts. His innovations were centred upon a new religion based on the worship of Aton, or the sun's disk, which Akhenaton elevated above . The Amarna style showed movement and figures of more exaggerated proportions, with elongated hands and feet. Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanityfrom the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening. Our continued interest in the Egyptian obsession with appearance isnt just about vanity, but the innovative leaps they made within the world of beauty. In his fifth regnal year, the pharaoh began his religious movement and renamed himself Akhenaten. Archaeological chemists examining Egyptian mummies have noted that the signature black, swooping eyeshadow worn by Nefertiti was packed with toxic lead-based chemicals, potentially serving as a means of fighting bacterial infection during periods when the Nile would flood. Here, Nefertiti serves as mother, daughter, sister, and self. [36][38], The bust has been in Germany since 1913,[13] when it was shipped to Berlin and presented to James Simon, a wholesale merchant and the sponsor of the Amarna excavation. Corrections? A group of blocks recovered from Karnak (Luxor) and Hermopolis Magna (Al-Ashmunayn) shows Nefertiti participating in the ritual smiting of the female enemies of Egypt. Up to this point, Egyptian representations of the human body had, over the course of a millennium, changed very little. Love, sex and marriage in ancient Egypt Nefertiti was born in 1370 BCE in the Egyptian city of Thebes. [53] Hitler described the bust as "a unique masterpiece, an ornament, a true treasure", and pledged to build a museum to house it. The Met's collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 26,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from the Paleolithic to the Roman period. In works of art Nefertiti is shown in equal status to the king, perhaps functioning as more of a co-ruler, as opposed to the traditional role of queen. Nefertiti worshipping Aten (Photo: Jon Bodsworth via Wikimedia Commons). [1] The work is believed to have been crafted in 1345BCE by Thutmose because it was found in his workshop in Amarna, Egypt. [38], The bust became an influence on popular culture, with Jack Pierce's make-up work on Elsa Lanchester's hairstyle in the film Bride of Frankenstein being inspired by it. The Aten cult afforded a special place to royal women, especially Nefertiti, who was linked with Akhenaten and the Aten in a divine triad. facsimile: h. 70 cm (27 9/16 in); w. 46 cm (18 1/8 in)scale approximately 1:3framed: h. 73.7 cm (29 in); w. 49.5 cm (19 1/2 in), Credit Line: "These materials confirm Egypt's contention that (he) did act unethically with intent to deceive." Since its discovery in the early 20th century, the bust of Nefertiti, a work of limestone and stucco crafted by the sculptor Thutmose around 1345 B.C.E., has cemented the ancient Egyptian queens relevance as a global pop-culture icon. Egyptian art is usually characterized by rigid, formal, and a very generalized representation of its subject. Historians have gleaned that Nefertiti was a major proponent of Akhenaten's religious and cultural movement. Berlin-based artists Nora Al-Badri & Nikolai Nelles, on the other hand, converted their ideas about Nefertiti into action. Nonetheless, she played an important religious role, worshipping the god Aton alongside her husband. In an untitled 2012 work by Isa Genzken, the first in the Nofretete series (201218), Nefertiti appears as weve never seen her. The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can now connect to the most up-to-date data and images for more than 470,000 artworks in The Met collection. As a medium that doubles as an advertising tool, neon lights are often used to intrigue consumers. Pushing back against Western claims on Nefertiti, African artists have been making their own arguments for the queens ethnic and national belonging. Akhenaten was the head of Egypt's many cults, yet he chose to dedicate his life to one god: an ancient solar deity known simply as the Disk, or the Aten.