Plaque Showing a King in the Red Crown

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This limestone plaque is finely carved in low relief, featuring the head and shoulders of a king facing right. On the king's head is the Red Crown associated with Lower (northern) Egypt; an exquisitely detailed ceremonial beard has been strapped to his chin. The king is bare-chested, although some clothing might once have been added in paint. In its material, shape, size and craftsmanship, 11.150.30 exhibits many similarities with the plaque 11.150.31, with which it has been associated since it was acquired by the Museum. Whether the two pieces came from the same context cannot be established beyond doubt, but in light of the circumstances of acquisition and other factors this seems very likely. On grounds of close stylistic parallels and other art-historical considerations the plaque likely dates to the late Third Intermediate Period (about the middle of the Eight Century B.C.). It probably represents a sculptor’s model used as a portable reference, thus enabling faithful copying of stylistic traits associated with monuments from the previous millennia. For more information, see Curatorial Interpretation below.

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