These pharaonic masterpieces are from the Louvre's renowned
collection while their Egyptian galleries undergo renovation. You will
rarely see an exhibition in which every single piece is a work of such extraordinary beauty and importance.
Seated Statue of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten)
Seated comfortably on his cushioned throne, Akhenaten
wears the nemes-headdress and holds a crook and flail,
conventional attributes of kingship. © Musée du Louvre.
Also see the back of the statue.
Bull Palette
This large ceremonial palette was
probably dedicated in a temple as an offering of thanks
for the military victory alluded to in the imagery. © Musée du Louvre.
Also see the back of the palette
Seated Statue of Sesostris III
Sesostris III is renowned for his military campaigns
in Nubia. His reign also introduced a new style of
portraiture. © Musée du Louvre.
Statuette of Amenemhat III
Although this statuette is uninscribed, the facial features
of Amenemhat III are unmistakable. The brooding quality
is reminiscent of the portraits of his father; however,
Amenemhat has a rounder face and fuller, more sensuous
lips. © Musée du Louvre.
Torso of Queen Sebekneferu
Sebekneferu was the daughter of Amenemhat III. The last
ruler of Dynasty 12, she was one of only five women
in ancient Egypt to rule as king in her own right. © Musée du Louvre.
Relief of Tuthmosis III
Because Tuthmosis III came to the throne as a child,
his stepmother Hatshepsut ruled on his behalf, first
as regent, later as king beside him. © Musée du Louvre.
Reconstructed Temple of Hatshepsut & Tuthmosis III on Elephantine Island
Photo by Lawrence M. Berman.
King as Falcon
The true nature of this statuette is revealed on the
back and sides, for the king is depicted with the wings
and body of a falcon. © Musée du Louvre.
Bust of Tuthmosis IV
Tuthmosis IV made treaties with the neighboring rulers
that ushered in an era of peace and political stability
lasting through the reign of his son Amenhotep III. © Musée du Louvre.
Statue of the God Amen Protecting Tutankhamen
This statue, probably from Karnak, was intentionally
mutilated in ancient times. Originally, it showed the
king standing between the god's legs, facing
him and presenting to him a platter of offerings in
return for the god's protection. All that remains
of Tutankhamen are his heels. © Musée du Louvre.
Funerary Figurine of Ramesses IV
This shawabty represents Ramesses IV. An ambitious ruler,
he prayed for twice the lifetime of Ramesses II, but
died after only seven years on the throne. © Musée du Louvre.
Relief of a King, Probably Ramesses II
In this scene, the king originally faced a god who extended
the hieroglyphic signs for life (ankh) and dominion
(was) to his nose. The carving in sunk relief is exceptionally
fine for Ramesses, who is better known for quantity
than for quality, and preserves much of its original
paint. © Musée du Louvre.
Block of Osorkon I Offering
Osorkon I was the second king of Dynasty 22. In this
temple relief, he offers an image of the goddess Maat,
the personification of truth and justice, to her father,
the god Amen-Ra, whose figure appears on another block
from the same temple. © Musée du Louvre.
Head of Nectanebo I (Nakhtnebef)
The back pillar of this statue identifies the ruler
as Nectanebo I, the first king of Dynasty 30. The artists
of this period looked back to Dynasty 26 and earlier
periods for inspiration. © Photo by Bernard Terlay.
Head and Torso of a Roman Emperor, Probably Nero
This portrait is more Roman than Egyptian. The Egyptians
rarely used marble, and the ruler's features
lack any particularly Egyptian traits. Most un-Egyptian
of all, the nemes-headdress (once topped by a Double
Crown) is worn high on the forehead allowing a few
curls of hair to protrude. © Musée du Louvre.
