Head of Amenhotep III Wearing the Blue Crown

Description

During the long, peaceful reign of Amenhotep III, Egypt reached a pinnacle of wealth and splendor. This magnificent portrait captures the ruler's exotic features to perfection. He has large, almond-shaped eyes, elegant arched eyebrows, and a full mouth. His face is youthful and without blemish. The bone structure is lost in the fleshy fullness of the face. The contrast between polished and roughened surfaces is a hallmark of hard stone images of Amenhotep III. The flesh areas were smoothed to a glistening sheen, while the eyeballs and the crown were left rougher. The roughening of the crown also had a practical purpose, for the upper portion was originally painted blue and the browband was painted yellow. The paint would have adhered better to the unpolished surface.

Provenance

Milton Girod, Chahaignes, France, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art (-1952); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Oh (1952-)

Head of Amenhotep III Wearing the Blue Crown

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c. 1391–1353 BCE

Accession Number

1952.513

Medium

granodiorite

Dimensions

Overall: 39.1 x 30.3 x 27.7 cm (15 3/8 x 11 15/16 x 10 7/8 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of the Hanna Fund