Statuette of Amun and Statue of Memi and Sabu: Ancient Egyptian Sculptures
From the Metropolitan Museum of Art collections, the Statuette of Amun (ca. 945–715 BC) is an Ancient Egyptian art that is made of solid gold and primarily relates to the strong beliefs of the Deity in ancient Egyptian civilization. The Statue of Memi and Sabu (ca. 2575–2465 BC) is a pair statues (a husband and wife) made of painted limestone and holds a belief that statues can be used as home of the departed ones.
It is a statuette of a standing man, with left leg forward, flat-topped crown (with two tall gold feathers that are now missing), braided beard with a curled tip, and carries the ankh (life) emblem on his left hand, and a scimitar across his chest. The statue is a standing man and a woman, with an unusual position of arms as Memi is returning Sabu’s embrace, and he stands with his feet together, rather than the normal masculine pose (feet striding forward).
In terms of materials used, the statuette is cast in solid gold and is considered as an extraordinarily rare example of the sculpture made of precious materials. Popular beliefs on early Egyptian culture, particularly those who belong to the upper class, reflect the fondness to gold as an adornment. This piece of ancient art is considered as evidence to such popular belief. The statue, on the other hand is made of painted limestone, one of the earliest and most popularly used mineral during the era.
The style of these pieces of art is metal and stone sculpture. There are many statues and statuettes in ancient Egyptian civilizations. The inclination to the creation of touchable images of deities for worship is evident. The lines are simple as they define the usual shape of a man. However, notable features include the narrow waist and the soft modeling of the torso. The statuette actually forms an image of a powerful man while the statue forms a couple. The texture is hard as it is made of polished solid gold and limestone. In terms of principles of design, both artworks fairly conform to such individual criteria and relative to the characteristics of arts during the specified period. The statuette is also similar to other Egyptian sculptures made during the era.
The meaning of the statuette of Amun is more directed to worshipping and religious orientation. According to Silverman and Brovarski (1997, p. 42), this statue might have stood on one of the courts to which the upper class or even the common people had their way in. The statuette has facial features that are similar to those of Tutankhamun. It is because of the belief that it was made during the king’s reign. For the statue, it is supported by the belief that it could be used as home of the souls of deceased. The belief of the after life is also associated in this artwork.
The symbolism of the statuette and the statue is relevant to the fact that ancient Egypt and its people are ruled by strong influence of the Deity and the act of worshiping them. The belief of the after life is also common.
These pieces of art are fit into the context of the time period as Egyptian pays particular importance on the worship of the Deity in terms of creating touchable representations and the belief of achieving a favorable life after death. It represents the ancient Egyptian cultural beliefs and practices in general particularly on myth, symbol, and institution (Kemp 2005).
References
Kemp, B. J. (2005). Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization. London: Routledge.
Silverman, D. P. & Brovarski, E. (1997). Searching for Ancient Egypt: Art, Architecture, and Artifacts. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Images
Statue of Memi and Sabu – http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/02/afe/ho_48.111.htm
Statuette of Amun – http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/04/afe/ho_26.7.1412.htm
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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