Essay on The Statues of Rahotep and Nefert - 947 Words

The Statues of Rahotep and Nefert nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The first thing that strikes an observer of these two statues is the excellent condition they are in. The paint on the two figures, Rahotep and Nefert, is extremely well preserved and there is only a miniscule amount of perceptible damage. Rahotep, who is seated on the left, retains the air of nobility and grandeur that a king’s son and high priest would have undoubtedly enjoyed during his lifetime. His wife, Nefert, sits adorned with an intricate wig and headband that match her bright jewelry and indicate her elevated social status. Together, the figures complement each other perfectly and provide a valuable glimpse into the world of non-royal funerary art of Ancient†¦show more content†¦Rahotep wears a very plain kilt and a small amulet around his neck. He has close-cropped hair and his face is adorned with a thin mustache. He has broad shoulders and muscular arms and it is worth noting that his right arm is held across his chest while his l eft rests on his thigh. In this respect he resembles Djoser, but the horizontally held arm goes out of fashion later in the Fourth Dynasty. The biggest contrast between Rahotep and his wife is the color of his skin, which is almost the color of clay. In the majority of limestone statues, the husband is portrayed as having much darker skin than his wife has. This is probably due to the fact that men spent more time outside and wore less than women. A similar style is apparent in ancient wall paintings from Thera, Greece that are housed in the Athens Archaeological Museum. In them, the men are portrayed as either red or brown while the women are snow white. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Nefert wears a shoulder-length wig and ornate headband decorated with symmetrical designs. The sculptor paid great attention to details, as her real hair and the straps from her dress can be told apart from the wig and her robe. Nefert’s nipples also protrude from her bosom and only one of her hands is visible. The other hand, much like most of Nefert’s body, seems to mold with the dress which itself molds with the chair. Contrasting with the very