The Legacy of Egyptomania: A study of exhibitions on ancient Egypt from the RMO (National Museum of Antiquities) in Leiden

Recently, the phenomenon of Egyptomania has become a popular topic within the field of Egyptology. Traditionally, Egyptomania has been interpreted as the artistic inspiration by and reimagining of ancient Egypt. In this study, Egyptomania is defined as the imagination of ancient Egypt, which manifests not only materially but also mentally, as it is influential in the construction of perceptions of ancient Egyptian history. Previous research (e.g., Dobson & Tonks, 2020) has shown how Egyptomania influences the representation of ancient Egypt in contemporary art and popular culture and how it sometimes results in the construction of stereotypical or incomplete narratives of ancient Egyptian history. However, the influence of Egyptomania on museum representations had not previously been investigated. Therefore, this study investigates the influence Egyptomania has had and still might have on the representation of ancient Egypt by museums. Through a case-study approach to the permanent...Show moreRecently, the phenomenon of Egyptomania has become a popular topic within the field of Egyptology. Traditionally, Egyptomania has been interpreted as the artistic inspiration by and reimagining of ancient Egypt. In this study, Egyptomania is defined as the imagination of ancient Egypt, which manifests not only materially but also mentally, as it is influential in the construction of perceptions of ancient Egyptian history. Previous research (e.g., Dobson & Tonks, 2020) has shown how Egyptomania influences the representation of ancient Egypt in contemporary art and popular culture and how it sometimes results in the construction of stereotypical or incomplete narratives of ancient Egyptian history. However, the influence of Egyptomania on museum representations had not previously been investigated. Therefore, this study investigates the influence Egyptomania has had and still might have on the representation of ancient Egypt by museums. Through a case-study approach to the permanent and contemporary exhibitions of the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden (RMO) over time, the exhibitions are reconstructed and analyzed through archival material and textual sources, showing that Egyptomania proves influential on the history and exhibitions of the RMO. The study found indications of Egyptomania throughout almost all investigated materials, showing its entanglement with Egyptology, Egyptian archaeology, and museum practices since the early stages of the museum. Overall, the influence of Egyptomania became most evident through the presence of nationalist and Eurocentric perspectives and stereotypical narratives and themes, like the mysterious nature of ancient Egypt. Furthermore, the reconstruction and analysis of the museum's historical development illustrate that it has never been a neutral space for representing ancient Egyptian history, but has been influenced since its beginnings by various manifestations of Egyptomania. The most important indications of Egyptomania in the early stages of the museum are: its nationalistic character, its acquisition of antiquities through colonial markets, and its engagement in unwrapping mummies. The early permanent exhibition aligns with these findings, as it shows similar indications of Egyptomania, namely the accumulative nature of the exhibition, the disregard for chronological contextualization, and the uncensored presentation of human remains. The contemporary permanent exhibition does not explicitly representthese same narratives. It rather reflects remnants of the longstanding tradition of narratives and themes related to Egyptomania, visible in watered-down instances of it, with traces evidentin curatorial practices, such as light play and exhibition composition. On top of this, the study examined temporary exhibitions from 1990 to 2025, of which many show clear indications of influences by Egyptomania on their narrative and theme, as well as some curatorial choices affirming these manifestations. The research also identified a shift in the recognition of Egyptomania in exhibitions from the 2010s, reflecting a recent urge toward the decolonization of heritage and narratives on history, which forces museums to rethink their curatorial practices and presented narratives. Drawing on evidence from the history and exhibitions of the RMO, this study argues for the recognition of Egyptomania's influence on academic representations of ancient Egypt, specifically those by museums.Show less

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The Legacy of Egyptomania: A study of exhibitions on ancient Egypt from the RMO (National Museum of Antiquities) in Leiden