Artist's Sketch of Pharaoh Spearing a Lion
| Artist's Sketch of Pharaoh Spearing a Lion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Year | Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt |
| Location | Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| Accession No. | 26.7.1453  |
| Identifiers | The Met object ID: 544076 |
Artist's Sketch of Pharaoh Spearing a Lion is an ostracon drawing from the Twentieth Dynasty of Egypt (ca. 1186–1070 B.C., part of the Ramesside period). It is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[1]
Early history and creation
[edit]This is a piece of limestone sketched with ink. It was a trial sketch, though the final has not been found in any tombs nor does the figure conform to new kingdom proportions, that was discarded in the Valley of the Kings.[1] It was discovered at the Tomb of Tutankhamun, near the entrance, during excavations in 1920.[1]
Description and interpretation
[edit]The work depicts a Ramesside pharaoh spearing a lion. The lion symbolizes the enemies of Egypt. The back of the work has a section of hieratic text, which reads: "The slaughter of every foreign land, the Pharaoh—may he live, prosper, and be healthy."[1] Hieratic text is a term for cursive writing, which had been around and evolving since as early as the 2nd dynasty[2].
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Artist's Sketch of Pharaoh Spearing a Lion". Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- ^ Regulski, Ilona (2009). ""The Beginning of Hieratic Writing in Egypt."". Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur. 38: 259–274 – via JSTOR.
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