The Death of the Pharaoh’s Firstborn Son
1872
Lawrence Alma-Tadema plunges us into the heart of ancient Egyptian tragedy with this dramatic depiction of the biblical tenth plague. The lifeless body of the Pharaoh's firstborn son slumps across his father's lap, while his mother collapses in grief, surrounded by the chaotic mourning of the royal court. Painted in 1872 during the height of the Neoclassical movement, the artist is famous for his obsessive attention to historical detail, meticulously recreating the Egyptian furniture, hieroglyphs, and even the specific lighting of a torchlit room. It's a masterclass in storytelling through shadow and sorrow, showing us the exact moment a mighty empire was brought to its knees.
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