Family Portrait of Ptahmai, “Chief of the wab priests of Ptah”

Among the many sculptural treasures of the New Kingdom are those tenderly carved family group statues intended for tomb chapels; silent participants in the rituals of memory and honour. One such ensemble features the noble figure of Ptahmai, an esteemed official who served under the mighty Ramesses II. As a mark of royal favour, he was granted the prestigious title of priestly overseer at the Temple of Ptah; an honour bestowed upon him as a dignified reward in his later years.

Ptahmai is seated serenely, his shaved head marking his priestly status, and he is clothed in a finely pleated kilt (shendyt) that protrudes gracefully from waist to calf. A ceremonial sash crosses his shoulder, and he proudly displays the “Gold of Honour” (twice awarded by the king) comprising chains of delicate golden disc-beads. The soft swell beneath his chest is no mere artistic flourish, but rather a symbol of rank and prosperity. His feet alone are shod in sandals; all other figures are depicted barefoot, as befitted their station.

Flanking him are two elegantly rendered women. To his left sits his wife, Hatshepsut, a “Singer of Amun“, her noble title suggesting ritual service in temple hymnody. To the right is their eldest daughter, identified as a “Lady of the Pharaoh’s Harem“; a position of prestige within the royal court. Between the couple stands their son, labelled as a “Servant of the Pharaoh“, and beside Ptahmai’s right shoulder rests the hand of another daughter, also a “Singer of Amun“, distinguished by the sistrum she holds; an emblem of musical devotion and divine appeasement. It is she, in fact, who commissioned this familial sculpture.

The women wear flowing, ankle-length pleated gowns, adorned with broad collars, and their features are crowned by voluminous wigs, carefully tiered and artfully coiffed. Though the son’s figure is damaged, his inclusion within the composition remains poignant.

Crafted with a reverence for formality and symmetry, the figures sit upon high-backed chairs, subtly indicated by modelled or painted detail, an artistic convention dating back to the 3rd Dynasty but revived with flourish in the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 B.C.). A relief carved upon the reverse of the back pillar tenderly portrays the children making offerings to their parents, a charming glimpse into piety and filial duty.

In limestone, the family is depicted with gentle intimacy. The wife’s arm encircling her husband’s waist, and the daughter’s hand resting upon his shoulder. These gestures, though stylised, convey warmth and continuity, though rendered with front-facing rigidity dictated by Ancient Egyptian canon. The faces of the family are serene yet devoid of overt expression, slight smiles adorn the seated’s face, deliberately timeless, schematic, and undistracted by earthly emotion.

Summary:

Family portrait statue of Ptahmai “Chief of the wab priests of Ptah”, his wife Hatshepsut and their children. Commissioned by a daughter.

New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, c.1250-1200 B.C.

From Saqqara

Now at the Ägyptisches Museum, Berlin. ÄM 2297