Egyptian Art Exhibit

Some Old Kingdom sculptures present an idealized version of their subject, but other royal and non-royal images exhibit features that identify them as distinct individuals. The more realistic faces range from thin to fleshy, with traces of character as well as signs of age. Especially noticeable in this regard are the individual facial features in the sculptures of King Menkaure shown here. In some instances, similarities between portraits in relief and statuary help to identify otherwise anonymous individuals. The most enigmatic of Old Kingdom portraits are the "reserve heads" found in a select group of tombs at Giza. These heads, with their strikingly individual faces, were complete works of art in themselves, rather than part of a larger statue; none is identified by name. [General] [Egypt] (Metropolitan Museum of Art)