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Learn MoreAncient Egyptian Block Statue
- This block statue is nearly 4,000 years old and exceptionally rare outside a museum collection
- Emerging in the 12th Dynasty, block statues served as intermediaries between the living and divine
- Every hallmark of court portraiture is preserved—the wig, composure and crossed hands
- Comparable examples are held in the British Museum, Brooklyn Museum and the Walters Art Museum
- Get complete item description here
$44,500
Item No.
32-2098
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Description
Ancient Egyptian Block Statue
Limestone
1900–1850 BCE
Among the most significant forms in Egyptian sculpture, this ancient Egyptian block statue is nearly 4,000 years old and exceptionally rare outside of a museum collection. The sitter vanishes beneath a wrapped garment, leaving only his head, hands and feet visible—every detail intact.
Block statues first appeared in the 12th Dynasty, nearly one thousand years after most Egyptian statue types had been established. The form coincided. . .
Limestone
1900–1850 BCE
Among the most significant forms in Egyptian sculpture, this ancient Egyptian block statue is nearly 4,000 years old and exceptionally rare outside of a museum collection. The sitter vanishes beneath a wrapped garment, leaving only his head, hands and feet visible—every detail intact.
Block statues first appeared in the 12th Dynasty, nearly one thousand years after most Egyptian statue types had been established. The form coincided. . .
Read More
Ancient Egyptian Block Statue
Limestone
1900–1850 BCE
Among the most significant forms in Egyptian sculpture, this ancient Egyptian block statue is nearly 4,000 years old and exceptionally rare outside of a museum collection. The sitter vanishes beneath a wrapped garment, leaving only his head, hands and feet visible—every detail intact.
Block statues first appeared in the 12th Dynasty, nearly one thousand years after most Egyptian statue types had been established. The form coincided with a radical shift in religious thought—the belief that a non-royal person's spirit could be reborn after death. Placed in royal temples along the Memphis necropolis, these figures served as eternal intermediaries between the living and the divine, their precise meaning still debated among scholars.
This example dates to the mid-12th Dynasty, approximately 1900–1850 BCE. The figure sits with his knees drawn to his chest, arms folded in a gesture of reverence, wearing a long, curled wig that falls across his shoulders. His wide, full-cheeked face carries the composed authority of court portraiture from the reigns of Pharaohs Amenemhat II and Sesostris II. His cloak carries associations with rebirth, and the crossed hands signal perpetual, reverent prayer.
The condition of this ancient treasure is exceptional—careful detail is preserved in the wig, the ears and even the toenails. Similar, though less impressive examples are held in the British Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
On base: 6 1/2" high x 4 3/4" wide x 5 3/4" deep
Provenance:
Private collection, Belgium
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Limestone
1900–1850 BCE
Among the most significant forms in Egyptian sculpture, this ancient Egyptian block statue is nearly 4,000 years old and exceptionally rare outside of a museum collection. The sitter vanishes beneath a wrapped garment, leaving only his head, hands and feet visible—every detail intact.
Block statues first appeared in the 12th Dynasty, nearly one thousand years after most Egyptian statue types had been established. The form coincided with a radical shift in religious thought—the belief that a non-royal person's spirit could be reborn after death. Placed in royal temples along the Memphis necropolis, these figures served as eternal intermediaries between the living and the divine, their precise meaning still debated among scholars.
This example dates to the mid-12th Dynasty, approximately 1900–1850 BCE. The figure sits with his knees drawn to his chest, arms folded in a gesture of reverence, wearing a long, curled wig that falls across his shoulders. His wide, full-cheeked face carries the composed authority of court portraiture from the reigns of Pharaohs Amenemhat II and Sesostris II. His cloak carries associations with rebirth, and the crossed hands signal perpetual, reverent prayer.
The condition of this ancient treasure is exceptional—careful detail is preserved in the wig, the ears and even the toenails. Similar, though less impressive examples are held in the British Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
On base: 6 1/2" high x 4 3/4" wide x 5 3/4" deep
Provenance:
Private collection, Belgium
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Read Less
Specifications
| Period: | Ancient |
| Type: | Figurines/Statuettes |
| Depth: | 5.75 in. (14.61 cm) |
| Width: | 4.75 in. (12.07 cm) |
| Height: | 6.5 in. (16.51 cm) |
Buy with Confidence
At M.S. Rau, we are committed to building a long-term, rewarding relationship with each and every client. That’s why your purchase is backed by our 125% guarantee.
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