Isetenkheb : vie, mort, renaissance

Lady Isetenkheb, whose coffin was discovered in the 19th century, is now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Lyon.

The museum has recently launched a special donation program to restore the coffin of this lady from ancient Egypt (Late Period, around 650–500 BCE). Restoring the exterior of the sarcophagus will not only bring color back to this unique piece but also prevent its latent decay.

The origin of this coffin is not the only important point in this story. Everything began with a man, Émile Guimet, a business leader and avid collector of Egyptian and Oriental artifacts. With the creation of his museum in Lyon in 1879, and later in Paris 25 years after, thousands of objects were brought to public attention, including the coffin of Lady Isetenkheb.

This documentary draws a parallel between this unusual restoration — as the public donors will be allowed to observe the process — and the remarkable story of the Guimet family. It is a full story that is told today, in 2018, on the occasion of the centenary of Émile Guimet’s death and the rejuvenation of this millennia-old sarcophagus.