Known as “the foremost of ruling ladies,” Hatshepsut was one of ancient Egypt’s only female pharaohs, a woman who attained unprecedented status for her time. During her rule, she shaped the kingdom after her own image, building obelisks, temples, and statues that bore her likeness. These artifacts and images were wiped from history, all but forgotten until uncovered centuries later. Still, the 18th Dynasty artistic style that Hatshepsut founded continued to flourish, a feature of Egypt’s “golden age.” There was Amenhotep III, who commissioned sculptures evoking satisfaction and pleasure to reflect the era’s abundance and wealth. His son Akhenaten broke from tradition, embracing elongated and idealized body proportions. A new exhibition charts the artistic history of the 18th Dynasty through works commissioned by these three rulers and examines how each used their image to retain power. —Maggie Turner