Details

Object type

head

Place Associated

Egypt (place made)

Date

19th Dynasty (1295-1186BC)

Materials

limestone

Dimensions

overall: 107 mm x 130 mm x 138 mm 1599 g

Description

This is the head of an ancient Egyptian lady who lived during the New Kingdom, probably the XIXth Dynasty and is from a much larger sculpture depicting her and her husband which would have been placed in a temple or their tomb. Paired statues signify the bonds between the couple and these were often shown as sitting next to each other and may have indicated a wish for this to continue forever in the Afterlife.

The limestone used for this figure was carefully carved and then painted. The traces of yellow paint on the face indicate that this is a female figure. Ancient Egyptian artists usually used yellow tones for skin on female figures and reddish-brown tones for men. The carefully carved tripartite wig shows the curled strands which were then painted black. The fragmentary inscription on the back of the statue would have given the names of this lady and her husband and possibly further biographical details but unfortunately it is not possible to reconstruct the text from the few glyphs remaining. However, traces of blue paint which would have filled all the incised inscription and made it stand out against the white limestone background.

Provenance: GF Williams, London; from whom purchased by Sir William Burrell on 15 December 1948.

Credit Line/Donor

Gifted by Sir William and Lady Burrell to the City of Glasgow, 1944

Collection

Burrell Collection: Egyptian Items

ID Number

13.144

Location

Burrell Collection