Relief of Queen Nefertiti Kissing her Daughter

Carved in sunk relief upon limestone, this tender scene depicts Queen Nefertiti—her head and neck preserved—gently kissing one of her daughters, whose small arm affectionately encircles her mother. To the right, three vertical columns of hieroglyphs have suffered mutilation, while above, a single ray of the Aten extends downwards, clasping an ankh, the symbol of life. The artists have subtly rendered flesh folds upon the necks of both figures, conveying a rare naturalism.

Nefertiti is adorned with a braided wig encircled by a diadem, while the princess wears a long sidelock of youth and delicate earrings. An inscription beside them reads: “The princess, of his body, his beloved, Merit-Aton.” Traces of ancient blue pigment remain visible on the queen’s wig and the princess’s sidelock, while remnants of red pigment are still discernible on the queen’s wig ribbon, around the earring, between the lips, along the necks and chins of both figures, and on the princess’s forehead, as well as on the hand of the Aten and the ankh it bestows.

Prior to Akhenaten’s reign, Egyptian royal art offered little insight into the personal lives or emotional bonds within the royal household. However, during the Amarna Period, artisans introduced an unprecedented level of intimacy into royal representations. This particular relief is among the most poignant, capturing Queen Nefertiti kissing her daughter full upon the lips—a moment of familial tenderness rarely depicted in Ancient Egyptian art.

Yet, this artefact is also a testament to posthumous defacement. Though the young princess’s image remains untouched, the queen’s face has been deliberately and extensively damaged, suggesting a targeted act of iconoclasm against her memory.

Summary:

Limestone fragment depicting Nefertiti kissing one of her six daughters

New Kingdom, late 18th Dynasty, Amarna Period, reign of Akhenaten, c. 1353–1336 B.C.

Discovered at Hermopolis

Now housed in the Brooklyn Museum (inv. no. 60.197.8).