Nefertiti

Charts the global resonance of the image of Nefertiti over the past century. 

From the moment that the bust of Nefertiti was uncovered after over 3,000 years and shown at its first exhibition in Berlin in 1924, it rapidly became an iconic image. Today, the silhouette alone of this powerful Ancient Egyptian queen is recognized and admired around the world.

In Nefertiti: The Making of a Global Icon, historian Sebastian Conrad tracks the full story of the world’s embrace and appropriation of this famous visage. Starting with the discovery of the bust and Germany’s claims to its possession, Conrad shows how it became a contested object, tracing Egypt’s efforts to call for its restitution from 1924 to the present. He also canvasses the uses to which Nefertiti’s image has been put and the causes with which it has been associated: for cosmetic ads and beauty clinics; by advocates for European unity; by drag queens and the queer community; by National Socialists; by nationalists in Egypt and Bengal; by Afro-Brazilian communities; and by important Black figures from Elijah Muhammad to Beyoncé. Against a global backdrop, Conrad showcases the stunning object’s fame and the often-controversial issues and debates in which it has been embroiled. He also argues that the story of Nefertiti’s trajectory offers insights into the changing shape of globalization from the era of imperialism to the present.

This accessible, deeply researched book reveals both how much is at stake in the life of objects and how Nefertiti’s arresting likeness continues to challenge us today.

Sebastian Conrad is professor of global history at Freie Universität Berlin. He is the author of several books, including What is Global History? and German Colonialism: A Short History.