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Material : Painted limestone
Acquisition : (1985)
| Item 1 on 40
Ancient Egypt
Sculpture
Area related
Amarna (Egypte)
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| Description |  |
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A common theme in the art of the Amarna period is the representation of Akhenaten, usually accompanied by his queen, presenting offerings to his god. Light from the Aten (sun disk) in the form of rays ending in small hands pours down on these scenes. Some of the hands touch the king and queen or the offerings. Others proffer an ankh, the abbreviated hieroglyphic writing for the word "life", to the royal couple.
In the block of the left, Akhenaten sacrifices a duck. Great care has been taken to show both of the king's hands in a naturalistic fashion. The wing of the bird do not actually pass through the clenched left fist. These odd details do not, however, detract from the beauty of the composition. The king's formal poses found in royal representations ot other periods. On the small block above and to the right, a hand, probably that of Akhenaten, has been caught at the moment it dropped what may be a lump of fat onto a pile of offerings. The grace of the long-fingered hand could only have been produced by an Amarna artist.
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