Egyptian ‘Mona Lisa’ A Fake

An ancient Egyptian masterpiece has been found to be a fake.

‘The Meidum Geese’, as modern-day Egyptologists and art historians refer to it, depicts six geese in profile, with a level of finesse which sets it apart from any other ancient Egyptian artwork. The painting’s beauty and detail has led it to be called the ‘Mona Lisa’ of ancient Egyptian artwork.

It was said to have been discovered in 1871 by Luigi Vassalli, in a tomb near the Meidum Pyramid built for the Pharaoh Snefru who ruled Egypt between 2610 and 2590 BCE. The tomb belonged to the Pharaoh’s son, Nefermaat, and the painting was supposedly found in a chapel within the complex. ‘The Meidum Geese’ is now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Recent analysis of the painting, however, has shown it to be a nineteenth-century forgery.