Carved in sunk relief upon limestone, this tender scene depicts Nefertiti 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...
This exquisitely modelled torso, carved in warm red quartzite, preserves the rounded grace of a woman’s body; soft curves of hip and thigh, a full pubic mound, and the clinging folds of a pleated linen dress. The figure’s head, lower legs, right arm, and left hand are lost, yet what remains still breathes with poise...
This unfinished limestone statue of King Akhenaten kissing his daughter is of high artistic quality. It was discovered in a sculptor’s atelier, or workshop, at Tell el-Amarna. It depicts King Akhenaten supporting on his knee one of his daughters, probably Meritaten. Akhenaten sits on a stool wearing a short-sleeved tunic and the Blue Khepresh Crown...
This cosmetic vase in the form of fish was found in a medium-sized private house at Tell el-Amarna, buried under a plaster floor together with two glass jugs and some metal objects. It is the most spectacular of a small group of fish-form vessels, all representing the ‘bulti’-fish common in the Nile and a standard...
This small, painted votive statue depicts King Akhenaten and his Great Wife Nefertiti. The king and queen are shown hand in hand (a notedly unusual pose in New Kingdom artwork), as if walking forward together. They stand quite far apart, entirely unbending as they stare straight ahead, without the ghost of a smile. They are...
Fragment of a painted paving from the southern palace at Amarna, the Maru-Aten (which was built for Meritaten, King Akhenaten’s eldest daughter). It is made of painted plaster, and depicts a marsh scene with wild ducks flying over tufts of reeds and papyrus which intermingle with the floating leaves of a flowering plant. Realism abounds...
The bust of Queen Nefertiti housed in Berlin’s Neues Museum is one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous works of art. A prime example of ancient artistry, this icon has been called “the most beautiful woman in the world”. Hypnotizing audiences since it went on display in 1923, the statue gives insight into the enigmatic queen...
This intimate limestone relief, thought to once be a part of a domestic altar, offers a rare glimpse into the private devotions of Egypt’s most unconventional royal family. Beneath the radiant sun-disc of the Aten, whose rays end in tiny hands bestowing the breath of life, Akhenaten and Nefertiti cradle their daughters in tender affection....
In this sculptor’s model plaque, the princess is biting into a duckling held in her right hand, while reaching with her left hand for fresh fruits and vegetables placed on a table in front of her. The artist had begun to carve the lower part of the body and the cushion on which the princess...
This ring bezel is decorated with the royal device of two cartouches topped by ostrich plumes, the cartouches frame dancing figures of Bes. Since Bes was closely associated with women in labor and with small children, the use of his image on this signet ring suggests it belonged to a queen, probably Nefertiti herself. Though...