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Stela of Ba

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Funerary Gallery 2, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor
The owner of this funerary stela, a man named Ba, is shown sitting in front of an offering table and sniffing a lotus while receiving a libation. According to the text, the stela was a gift, presumably from Ba’s son, Mes, who is depicted between his parents. Because the image of Ba is in the center, the right side of the composition is so crowded that the female attendant seems to be pouring liquid onto Ba’s feet. Her extreme slenderness is typical of early Dynasty 18 figures.
MEDIUM Limestone
  • Place Made: Egypt
  • DATES ca. 1539-1425 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 18
    PERIOD New Kingdom
    DIMENSIONS 15 3/8 x 9 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (39 x 23.8 x 5.7 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 85.113
    CREDIT LINE Gift of Jack A. Josephson in honor of Bernard V. Bothmer
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION One round topped limestone stela with a slender woman at the extreme right, facing left, libating and standing in front of an offering table. Three figures on the other side of table. Condition: The entire surface is covered with a thin layer of dirt; there is an old repair running diagonally across the stela's center, the lower portion of the stela is restored.
    CAPTION Stela of Ba, ca. 1539-1425 B.C.E. Limestone, 15 3/8 x 9 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (39 x 23.8 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Jack A. Josephson in honor of Bernard V. Bothmer, 85.113. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 85.113_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 85.113_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2016
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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