Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
King
(Ancient Egypt and Nubia )
Both continuity and change are reflected in this portrait bust initially carved for a ruler of the Middle Kingdom and then re-carved for a New Kingdom monarch. There was a marked change between the way late 12th Dynasty and mid 19th Dynasty kings were represented. The pharaohs of the 12th Dynasty wished to present an experienced and careworn expression. This is conveyed by heavy eyelids, wrinkles, and a firm set to the mouth. The pharaohs of the 19th Dynasty, however, wanted their images to suggest youth, vigor, and confidence. To transform a Middle Kingdom royal image into a New Kingdom one, sculptors re-carved the face. The eyes, nose, and forehead of this sculpture show evidence of reworking to erase signs of age, while the corners of the mouth were deeply drilled to make the cheeks appear rounder and to bring the lips closer to the slight smile typical of 19th Dynasty royal sculpture.
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, 1912, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 1996 | Egypt in Africa. Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 9/1/1967 | Treatment | repaired |
| 3/2/1971 | Treatment | repaired |
| 6/24/1971 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 5/10/1995 | Loan Consideration | examined for loan |
| 7/3/1996 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 9/16/1998 | Examination | survey |
Geographies
Egypt (Place of Origin)
Measurements
8 11/16 x 7 5/16 x 4 5/16 in. (22 x 18.5 x 11 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1912
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.
22.351