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Egyptian Artifacts

Block Statue of Ay

The block statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ (made of limestone) was first fashioned by artists during the 12th Dynasty, and the style was very popular at the time! This block statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is from the 18th Dynasty though. Both Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“ and Ay, Akhenaten’s π“‡‹π“π“ˆ–π“‡³π“…œπ“π“ˆ– successors sought to restore not only the Egyptian pantheon, but also traditional art styles that had either been completely forgotten or had lost popularity.

Block Statue of Ay at the Brooklyn Museum

This particular block statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is of a man named Ay, who served as a high priest π“ŠΉπ“› of Mut 𓏏𓄿𓀭 during the rule of Tutankhamun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“π“…±π“π“‹Ήπ“‹Ύπ“‰Ίπ“‡“. There is some blend of traditional Egyptian art styles and Amarna art styles in this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ, and it almost serves as a transition piece between the two parts of the 18th Dynasty. The cartouches of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Ay 𓇳𓆣𓆣π“ͺ𓁹𓐙𓏏 appear in the hieroglyphic π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ text π“Ÿπ“›π“₯. The cartouches were added later, after the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ was completed as a way to β€œupdate” the statue’s π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ text π“Ÿπ“›π“₯.

Block Statue of Ay at the Brooklyn Museum (and me)!