Egyptian antiquities were the first works of art acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1913, even before there was a building to house them. Today the Egyptian collection is internationally recognized as one of the finest collections of its kind. Its reputation stems from the high number of masterpieces and overall high aesthetic quality and sophistication relative to its small size. All periods of Egyptian art are represented. Its greatest strengths are the sculptures and reliefs from the reign of Amenhotep III, the sculptures and reliefs of the Late Period and Greco-Roman Period, and decorative arts, including cosmetic objects, stone vessels, and some of the finest Ptolemaic period faience in existence.