“Ra and Apophis.” Within the twenty fifth century B.C., Egyptians believed all types of life have been created by the Solar God, “Ra,” who referred to as them into existence by talking their secret names, apart from man, who was born of Ra’s tears and sweat. The large snake, “Apophis,” spirit of evil, darkness, and destruction, threatened to destroy Ra every night as he travelled by boat by means of the underworld. Nevertheless, Ra was at all times triumphant, as evidenced by his return within the sky each morning, touring on the “Boat of a Million Years” and bringing gentle, heat, and development to the world. Ra is usually represented with an “ankh” in his hand–symbolizing life–and a disk on his head that represents the solar. Throughout daylight, he was mentioned to have the top of a hawk, and through darkness, the top of a ram. (24″H x 30″W, oil on canvas)
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