Statue of a Man from the Reign of Amenhotep III

Carved in the glittering age of Amenhotep III, this finely carved acacia wooden figure captures the calm poise and refinement that defined Ancient Egyptian art at its most elegant. The man measures at 30.5 cm, and stands with his arms at his sides, clothed in a short-sleeved tunic and a pleated linen kilt whose layered folds fall in soft geometry. A sheathed dagger peeps discreetly from his hip, as he strides forth. His head is adorned with a shoulder-length plaited cascading layer wig, each strand carved with meticulous precision.

His face bears the hallmarks of Amenhotep’s cosmopolitan court style; serene almond-shaped eyes still darkened with traces of pigment from the Egyptian style liner, arched thick brows and full lips curved in timeless composure. Only the tip of the nose and feet are lost to time.

Despite its modest scale, the statuette embodies the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Theban ateliers: the union of realism and grace that flourished during one of Egypt’s most radiant reigns. The warm lustre of its polished wood and the lingering traces of paint still whisper of a world devoted to beauty, balance, and the perfection of form.

Although the statue was long thought to be carved from shea wood (karité), later scientific examination (by Pierre Détienne, CTFT analysis, 1986) determined that the material is in fact acacia wood (Acacia sp.). This makes perfect sense historically, as acacia was one of the most common and prized native timbers available in Ancient Egypt. It is a dense, fine-grained hardwood, naturally honey-toned and capable of taking a high polish, which allowed artisans to carve fine detail and apply painted or gilded finishes. It was also symbolically valued: the acacia tree was associated with rebirth and the sun god Ra, as its blossoms opened each morning with the dawn.

Unfortunately, the Louvre’s official catalogue entry does not record a precise archaeological provenance for this statue. Like many pieces from the early 19th century, it entered the museum via Henry Salt’s collection, which was assembled through purchases and excavations across Egypt before the advent of modern archaeological documentation. That said, we can make a well-founded educated inference:

Henry Salt’s agents, including Giovanni d’Athanasi and Giovanni Belzoni, were most active at Thebes (modern Luxor) during the period around 1816–1820. They worked extensively in western Thebes, excavating and acquiring statuary from tombs and temples dating to the 18th Dynasty, especially those connected with the reign of Amenhotep III. The stylistic features of this figure are characteristic of Theban court art under Amenhotep III.

Therefore, while the find spot is unrecorded, it is very likely that this wooden statue originated from a Theban context, possibly from a tomb or temple cache associated with officials of the king’s reign.