Basalt sculpture; Egypt; Modern Replica
On loan from the Sorvats-Trebor Collection (2002.005), IL.2025.017.012
Mysteries of the Nile: Ancient Egypt
April 9, 2026 – April 9, 2028
For thousands of years, the Nile River has carved a green ribbon through the desert of northeastern Africa, nurturing one of the world’s most remarkable civilizations. Known to ancient Egyptians as Kemet, the “black land,” the inhabitants owed their lives to the rich and dark soil, deposited along the riverbanks by the Nile’s annual flooding. The surrounding deserts, by contrast, was called Deshret, or “red land.” The fertile plains of the Nile Valley gave rise to a culture that thrived for over three and a half thousand years. Ancient Egypt remains renowned to this day for its religious beliefs, complex society, monumental architecture, and enduring arts and culture. Mysteries of the Nile is the first exhibition in Tampa dedicated to the art and artifacts of ancient Egypt. The gallery display explores themes related to the power of pharaohs, the worship of gods, aspects of daily life, and beliefs about the afterlife —thus offering insight into this mysterious civilization along the Nile.
Ceramic vessel; attr. to Darius Painter; Tarentum, Apulia, Italy; Classical–Hellenistic period, c. 340–320 ʙᴄᴇ
Tampa Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William Knight Zewadski, 1987.035
Eye of the Beholder
The William Knight Zewadski Legacy
May 14, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Beauty, as the saying goes, is in the eye of the beholder — that is, a matter of personal choice. The same holds true when establishing an art collection. The treasures displayed in this exhibition reflect a very personal passion for ancient Greek and Roman art and archaeology, ancient theater and architecture — as well as their reception in modern prints and photography. Culled from the collection of William Knight (“Bill”) Zewadski, the works on view reflect the zeal of an amateur — in the true sense of the word. In addition, the exhibition is a testament to his immeasurable generosity to the Tampa Museum of Art over a period of four decades.
Eye of the Beholder is part of a series of exhibitions dedicated to the Museum’s permanent collection that have been on view since the Centennial Celebration.