Head of a woman (sculptor's model)

 

This nearly square, flat piece of white limestone has been carved in raised relief, showing a woman's head facing left. The lady is represented with a large wig, of which the tresses and braids have been rendered with great precision and regularity. Upon her forehead is a decorated band and on top of her head is a lotus in full bloom. The edge of the wig is marked by a braid, and an earring shaped as a disk appears from underneath it. The delicate profile shows a nose with a slight curve and a slightly protruding lower lip. The eye and brow are marked by raised lines of eye-paint in the Egyptian fashion. The incised line between the eye and the brow is a remarkable feature. Below the eye is a series of vertical lines which have been flatly incised in an irregular manner. Presumably, this playful addition was added at a later date inspired by the hieroglyph of the tearing eye. The front of the neck is marked by three stylized parallel horizontal folds. The upper right corner has the remains of a border in the form of a small raised edge.

Present location	KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM [09/001] VIENNA
Inventory number	73
Dating	SETHOS I/MENMAATRE ?
Archaeological Site	UNKNOWN
Category	SCULPTOR'S MODEL
Material	LIMESTONE
Technique	HEWN
Height	22.6 cm
Width	25.6 cm
Depth	4.4 cm

Bibliography

• Verzeichnis der antiken Sculpturenwerke, Inschriften und Mosaiken des K.k. Münz- und Antikencabinets im unteren K.k. Belvedere (1826) 23, Nr. 2.
• Übersicht der ägyptischen Alterthümer des k.k. Münz- und Antiken-Cabinetes (7. verm. Aufl. 1872) 24/Nr. 54.
• Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM). Führer durch die Sammlungen. Wien. 1988.
• Satzinger, H., Das Kunsthistorische Museum in Wien. Die Ägyptisch-Orientalische Sammlung. Zaberns Bildbände zur Archäologie 14. Mainz. 1994.

 http://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org/detail.aspx?id=5370