Brooklyn Museum: Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art: Scribe Statue of Amunhotep, Son of Nebiry

12:23 11/23/2009

this is so awsome

posted by desiree

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Scribe Statue of Amunhotep, Son of Nebiry

The Egyptians valued learning and literacy above all other skills, including physical strength and military prowess. Egyptian men who mastered reading and writing were frequently represented as scribes: sitting cross-legged with inscribed papyrus rolls in their laps. Some examples, such as this one, show the subject with his head gently inclined as if reading the papyrus.

So-called scribe statues were first produced in Dynasty 4 (circa 2625–2500 B.C.). Originally only princes were permitted to appear in this form, but as access to schooling increased over time, scribe statues became relatively common. The subject of this sculpture, a man named Amunhotep, held several priestly and administrative offices.

Medium: Limestone
Place Made: Egypt
Dates: ca. 1426-1400 B.C.E.
Dynasty: XVIII Dynasty
Period: New Kingdom
Dimensions: 26 x 13 3/16 in. (66 x 33.5 cm) Base: 14 3/16 x 4 3/4 x 14 13/16 in. (36 x 12 x 37.6 cm)
Collections: Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum Location: This item is on view in Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity, Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
Accession Number: 37.29E
Credit Line: Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Rights Statement: Creative Commons-BY-NC
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Caption: Scribe Statue of Amunhotep, Son of Nebiry, ca. 1426-1400 B.C.E. Limestone, 26 x 13 3/16 in. (66 x 33.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.29E. Creative Commons-BY-NC
Image: front, 37.29E_front_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
"CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don't yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.

Record Completeness: Best (92%)
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Collections: Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art: Scribe Statue of Amunhotep, Son of Nebiry