<em>Kneeling Statuette of Pepy I</em>, ca. 2338-2298 B.C.E. Greywacke, alabaster, obsidian, copper, 6 x 1 13/16 x 3 9/16 in. (15.2 x 4.6 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 39.121. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 39.121_front_PS6.jpg)

Kneeling Statuette of Pepy I, ca. 2338-2298 B.C.E. Greywacke, alabaster, obsidian, copper, 6 x 1 13/16 x 3 9/16 in. (15.2 x 4.6 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 39.121. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 39.121_front_PS6.jpg)

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Tell me about this statue's headdress.

A king's headdress was called a "nemes headdress" and would have shown a cobra, or the "uraeus". The "uraeus" was a protective goddess who took the form of the cobra and the image is seen primarily on royal headwear.

Is it typical that women had vultures and men cobras?

Yes, typically, the nemes headdress was reserved for men/pharaohs.

Hatshepsut (a female pharaoh from ancient Egypt) is often seen wearing this nemes-headdress which scholars believed was so that she could solidify her power and be seen on par with a male pharaoh.

Who is this?

This kneeling statue depicts the pharaoh Pepy I of Egypt's Old Kingdom. In his hands, Pepy I offers pots to the gods. The hole in his headdress would have once held a uraeus cobra, a symbol of the protective goddess worn by royalty in ancient Egypt.

If you look closely, you may notice that his eyes are inlayed! I'm always fascinated by inlayed eyes because it makes the person in the sculpture seem so much more lifelike!

Were all these Egyptian statues originally painted?

A number of them would have been, yes. Limestone, or lighter colored sculpture might have been painted. But dark stone, like this greywacke, was actually valued for the way details would show up on the dark surface. There may have been painted accents, however.

Tell me more.

If you look closely at this statue you see two different techniques used to carve the stone. The smooth, rounded areas, seen on the figure, were created with abrasives much the way we use sandpaper today. In contrast, the inscription was chiseled into the surface.

If you look at the inscription on the king's right side you'll see the cartouche that helped scholars to identify him. Within the oval are signs Re, mr, and y--usually read as Meryre--the throne name of Pepy I.

I was wondering when and where it was found. Also is Charles Edwin Wilbur Fund the person who found it?

We aren’t sure where exactly in Egypt this statue was found. It entered the museum’s collection in 1939. Based on the sculpture itself we assume it was created for a temple. You may have read in the label that a king, like Pepy I, would only kneel before a god.

Charles Edwin Wilbour did not find this particular object. He did donate his personal collection of ancient Egyptian art to this museum and created a tremendous fund that still contributes to the operation of the department today. His name appearing on this label indicates that money from that fund went toward the acquisition of this object.

Wow! Thank you sooo much!

Kneeling Statuette of Pepy I

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor

This statuette depicts King Pepy I kneeling and offering nu-pots, ritual vessels that held milk or wine. A king would kneel only before a god, so this statuette must have been placed before the statue of a deity in a temple. Inlaid eyes of black and white stone set in copper rims enhance the finely carved figure. The hole above Pepy’s forehead originally held a uraeus-cobra, probably metal, signifying royalty.

MEDIUM Greywacke, alabaster, obsidian, copper

Possible Place Collected: Upper Egypt, Egypt

DATES ca. 2338-2298 B.C.E.

DYNASTY Dynasty 6

PERIOD Old Kingdom

DIMENSIONS 6 x 1 13/16 x 3 9/16 in. (15.2 x 4.6 x 9 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 39.121

CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

PROVENANCE Archaeological provenance not yet documented; before 1880, possibly purchased near Akmim by Elie or Michel Abemayor of Cairo, Egypt; before 1890, reportedly purchased from Elie or Michel Abemayor by Jacques Matossian of Alexandria, Egypt; by 1939, acquired by Marguerite and Paul Mallon of Paris, France and New York, NY; 1939, purchased from Marguerite and Paul Mallon by the Brooklyn Museum.

Provenance FAQ

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Small green slate kneeling figure of Mr-y-Rc (Pepy I) holding a wine pot in each hand; eyes inlaid, copper rims, alabaster whites, obsidian pupils. Inscription along front of base (partly missing) and along left side. Condition: Upper right side of headdress chipped; right arm assembled from several fragments but practically intact; right hand broken and portion of wine pot missing; rim of left wine pot slightly chipped; left front of plinth missing, right rear of plinth chipped. Uraeus presumably of metal missing but two holes or insertion remain.

EXHIBITIONS

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor

CAPTION Kneeling Statuette of Pepy I, ca. 2338-2298 B.C.E. Greywacke, alabaster, obsidian, copper, 6 x 1 13/16 x 3 9/16 in. (15.2 x 4.6 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 39.121. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 39.121_front_PS6.jpg)

IMAGE front, 39.121_front_PS6.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2011

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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