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© Joan Lansberry, May 2008
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"The ceiling design is based on a nineteenth-century artist's imitation of an astronomical calendar that once decorated the ceiling of the main temple of the goddess Hathor in southern Egypt. The blue circle, surrounded by various gods and goddesses, represents the night sky. The odd creatures shown within it are ancient Egyptian zodiac signs." (From the museum website) The Dendera Zodiac is now housed at the Louvre Museum. The original is now unpainted (photo credit, "Sebi", Wikipedia site), but very likely it had been painted in brilliant colors very similar to the ones the Brooklyn Museum artist chose. |
