Nostalgia: Bushey Artist Gets Egypt Bug (From Watford Observer)

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/14461427.Nostalgia__Bushey_Artist_Gets_Egypt_Bug/

Nostalgia: Bushey Artist Gets Egypt Bug

Renowned Egyptologist Myrtle Broome spent much of her life in Bushey. Picture credit: Bushey Museum

3 days ago / Kelly Pells

In the early 1920s, Myrtle Broome, an educated, middle class woman, was living quietly in Bushey. She spent her days painting and practicing other arts and crafts.

Within a few years, however, the steady nature of her day-to-day life was dramatically enlivened by a series of visits to Egypt.

Myrtle was born in London, the daughter of a music publisher.

She first studied at an art school in Bushey before an enduring interest in Ancient Egypt led her to study Egyptology at University College London.

In 1798, European interest in Egypt was kindled with Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, bringing attention to the pyramids and the sphinx.

Perhaps the most important discovery in Egyptology was the finding of the Rosetta Stone in 1799, which provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Today it is the most-visited object in the British Museum.

The Victorians in particular seemed to be unable to resist the allure of Ancient Egypt. Archaeological discoveries were front page news and provoked much excitement. Artifacts from Egyptian ruins were in high demand as decor in British homes.

In 1877, an obelisk from Alexandria was transported to England and erected on the banks of the Thames. The monument inspired even greater fascination with Egypt. It still stands today, and is known as Cleopatra's Needle.

Victorians were obsessed with Egypt in part because they considered Egypt to be the Britain of the ancient world - a superior civilisation conquering all of the land within reach.

In 1927, Myrtle joined in copying inscriptions in the tombs at Qau el-Kebir. It was thanks to this experience that she was hired, two years later, by the Egypt Exploration Society to join Egyptologist Amice Calverley at a temple in Egypt.

Amice had begun her career in Egyptology in 1927, becoming involved with the Egyptian Exploration Society. She taught herself drawing for archaeology, during which process she upset a bottle of ink over an ancient piece of pottery in the British Museum.