I’ve never shared this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 because of the glare, but not every picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 needs to be perfect 𓄤! My Nonno took this photo 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 and me at the Louvre in what I call the “Amarna Gallery!” You can tell by my smile how happy 𓄫𓅱𓏛 I was! Seeing a statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 in real life that I have only seen in books feels like meeting a celebrity!
The Louvre has an impressive collection of statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 and artifacts from Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 and I was so excited to be able to see them – this was probably the gallery I spent the most time in at the Louvre! After Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓, Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 is my second favorite pharaoh 𓉐𓉻!
This particular limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 surprised me when I saw it in person for the first time! I thought it was going to be a lot smaller, so I was shocked to see just how big it was! The piece is also incredibly well preserved – the Uraeus 𓇋𓂝𓂋𓏏𓆗 on Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 forehead is still somewhat intact, and the design details on the skirt are clearly defined. Also, Akhenaten is holding both the crook 𓋾 and flail 𓌅 in one hand 𓂝𓏺 instead of one in each hand 𓂝𓏺!
The Louvre has this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 named “Statue of an Amarna King.” To me, this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 looks like it is from the early part of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏 because there are both traditional Egyptian elements and Amarna-era elements (elongated face and limbs, more body fat in the stomach and thighs) present in the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾. If I were to guess, this was probably made before year 5 𓏾 of Akhenaten’s 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 reign 𓋾𓈎𓏏, when he still had the name 𓂋𓈖 Amenhotep IV 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓊵𓊹𓋾𓌀. However, there are no hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 on the statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 to confirm this, I am basing this inference just on the artistic style alone!
This piece really is just stunning to see in person!
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost.