2490-2472 BC: King Menkaure (Mycerinus) and queen

 2490-2472 BC

King Menkaure (Mycerinus) and queen, Ancient Egypt, greywacke, 142.2 x 57.1 x 55.2 cm (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)

The life-size statue of King Menkaure and queen is carved on a large dark stone. The figures stand next to each other and face forward with the same back pillar. The sculpture of the king has the ideal broad shoulders and the retrained strength and youth. However, his individualized facial features remain prominent. He only wears the pleated kilt, the headdress and the royal artificial beard in the carving. His hands are clenched and flushed to his side. Meanwhile, the queen beside him stands partly behind the king with her arms around his back as a supporter. Her features are young and idealized, but her individualized aspects remain like the king’s. Both of them have their left foot stepping forward, and this symbolizes their souls moving on to the great afterlife. They represented the idealistic body features and youthfulness of an Ancient Eyptian, and the statue is known to be the memorial after the passing of the king. The amazing finishing and the detailing on the carving  shows the great respect and power the royalty has upon the civilian.

#portrait #power #statue #king #human #Egyptian #art #stonework #carving #body #memorial #stepping #standing #woman #man #respectable #tall #idealistic #personal #ancient #love #marriage #pharaoh #queen #leftfootforward #holding