Breast from a Statue of Akhenaten

This plump, rounded breast belongs to Akhenaten, during whose reign the artistic tradition, religion, and written language experienced a radical change. For the brief period of his rule, Akhenaten became the divine representative of the god Aten on earth. Aten’s name appears in the deeply incised cartouches on the breast, emphasizing the king’s affinity with him. The feminine forms of the king’s depictions point to his androgynous divine status, rather than his actual appearance.

Fragments of Amarna sculpture demonstrate the reaction to Akhenaten’s radical reforms. Almost immediately following his reign, his successors intentionally smashed most representations of the king and restored the traditional Egyptian religion.