Plaster Amarna Royal

This plaster head depicts an Amarna royal, likely a king, and based upon resemblance it is even more likely to be a casting of king Akhenaten.

The head is life-size, and measures at 20.5cm long, and 14.5cm wide, with a 13cm depth.

If the head is of king Akhenaten, it could be from early in his reign, as it appears more youthful than other apparent realistic portraits of the king. Also, worth mentioning is the strong resemblance to Akhenaten’s mother, Queen Tiye.

The sculptor Thutmose

“The King’s Favourite and Master of Works, the Sculptor Thutmose“, was an Ancient Egyptian sculptor in the Amarna style. He flourished around 1350 BC, and is thought to have been the official court sculptor of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten in the latter part of his reign.

A German archaeological expedition digging in Akhenaten’s deserted city of Akhetaten, known today as Tel el-Amarna, found a ruined house and studio complex (labelled P47.1-3) in early December 1912; the building was identified as that of Thutmose based on an ivory horse blinker found in a rubbish pit in the courtyard inscribed with his name and job title. Since it gave his occupation as “sculptor” and the building was clearly a sculpture workshop, the determination seemed logical and has proven to be accurate.

Summary:

Plaster head of a king (likely Akhenaten)
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, c.
From Tel el-Amarna
Ägyptisches Museum. ÄM 21340