Rare Howard Carter Painting Showcased in the UK’s Swansea University

The United Kingdom’s Swansea University is presenting a rare watercolour painting by Howard Carter, the famed archaeologist credited with uncovering Tutankhamun's tomb.

On loan from the Egypt Exploration Society (EES), this watercolour captures a relief from the Chapel of Thutmose I in the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut near Luxor. Dating back to 1894, the artwork was made during Carter's early years, when he, at the age of 19, toiled at the temple under the banner of the then Egypt Exploration Fund.

Carter’s painting, rarely exhibited beyond the EES headquarters in London, marks its Welsh debut at the Egypt Centre. The revelation at the museum's House of Death gallery featured an insightful presentation by Dr. Carl Graves, Director of the Egypt Exploration Society.

This watercolour, measuring 1.3m x 1.2m, stands as Carter's largest surviving work. While his monumental discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 etched his name in history, this piece offers a unique perspective into Carter's artistic pursuits during his formative years.

After its display at the Egypt Centre, the painting will tour multiple locations across England as part of EES's comprehensive redevelopment endeavours in London.

This exhibition contributes to the expanding repertoire of the Egypt Centre, an award-winning institution commemorating its 25th anniversary last year. As Wales's singular Egyptian museum, the centre is currently overseeing the cataloguing and examination of over 800 rare items from Harrogate Museums by Swansea's team of experts.