Statue of Shebenhor

Description

How do you define a portrait? While we might think of portraits as capturing an individual’s likeness, for the non-royal Egyptians whose statues appear in this case, it was the addition of a name in hieroglyphs that identified them; their facial features and fashion were determined by contemporary styles. The inscriptions on the front and back of the statue on the upper left distinguish it as a representation of a man named Shebenhor. He sits with his knees drawn up in front of him and his hands on his lap, a compact pose ideally suited for display in crowded temple courtyards, where it would have been less susceptible to breakage than standing or seated versions while also providing a flat surface for visitors to place offerings. Statues like this one acted as proxies for the people they depicted, allowing their souls to benefit from the prayers and rituals performed in the sacred space around them.

Provenance

Said to be found in Memphis, Egypt [Mauduit 1859]. Colonel Vincent-Yves Boutin (1772–1815), Nantes, France, and Latakia, Syria [according to Mauduit 1859, this statue was found among Boutin’s belongings in Latakia, where he died on a military mission in 1815]. Musée Archéologique de Nantes, Nantes, France, by 1882 [Rougé 1882]. Mme. Paul Giueysse, Lanester, France; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1924.

Statue of Shebenhor

Ancient Egyptian

Late Period, Dynasty 26 (664-525 BCE)

Accession Number

13454

Medium

Basalt

Dimensions

28 × 13 × 16.3 cm (11 × 5 1/8 × 6 3/8 in.)

Classification

statue

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. George L. Otis