Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Sesostris III
(Ancient Egypt and Nubia )
Usually the sculptures of kings and queens have youthful, confident, contented, and even slightly smiling facial expressions. King Sesostris III broke dramatically with this tradition, and his face shows signs of age, concern, and discontent. He may have wished his sculptors to show him as the shepherd of his people, heavily burdened by his care for their needs and the duties of monarchy.
Among the most important ancient Egyptian sculptures in the collection, this statue is a classic representation of an Egyptian pharaoh. He is shown wearing the nemes head cloth (worn only by Egypt's monarchs) with a uraeus (protective serpent) at the brow, and a shendyit (pleated kilt). An unusual feature of this king's sculpture is the amulet suspended from a necklace.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1925, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 1/29/1962 | Treatment | loss compensation |
| 5/23/1962 | Treatment | loss compensation; repaired; stabilized |
| 7/14/1967 | Treatment | cleaned; loss compensation |
| 6/24/1971 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 1/1/1978 | Treatment | loss compensation |
| 6/23/1978 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 5/3/1995 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 9/16/1998 | Examination | survey |
| 9/23/1999 | Treatment | cleaned; stabilized; loss compensation; coated |
Geographies
Egypt (Place of Origin)
Measurements
24 x 7 5/16 x 14 3/8 in. (60.96 x 18.57 x 36.51 cm) approx.
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1925
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
22.115