Kneeling statuette of King Amasis

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The childlike appearance of this kneeling statuette, with its large head, beautiful features, plump body, and short legs, is characteristic of some metal royal statues made during the Late Period, when the king was associated with juvenile gods such as Horus, son of Isis. This work, like the stone statuary from the reign of Amasis, testifies to the high level of artistry attained during his rule. The figure is solid-the body, limbs, and attributes were all integrally cast. Precious-metal leaf once covered the king's nemes; additional embellishment was provided by inlaid inscriptions on the kilt flap and the belt in the back, in each case spelling out a different name of King Amasis. The inscriptions were executed at different times in the life of the statue, an earlier inscription on the back planned from the beginning, and a secondary inscription on the front of the kilt. No clear motive for adding a replacement inscription to an otherwise complete figure has thus far been recognized. Both forearms were damaged in antiquity, probably when the figure was wrenched from its base.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.

Metropolitan Museum of Art