Statue of official Bes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The statue of official Bes is to be found in the Museum of Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon. The height of the sculpture is 32.2 cm, the width is 20,9 cm.

The inscription on the base of this statue is “Count and Prince, Companion of His Majesty”. Bes is sitting in a position that was used frequently in the Old Kingdom (c. 2649-2150 BC), later at the beginning of the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1070 BC) and again by the officials, including this courtier, who served Psammetichus I (Wahibre) (664-610 BC).

The material of the statue is fine-grained compact limestone that is close to marble. The figure’s stylised face, with its shy smile, contrasts with his solid limbs and torso, which is finely modelled to reveal protruding clavicles and a pronounced depression of the thorax.

The figure transmits a sense of great serenity and dignity that was characteristic of a period of harmony – the so-called Saite Renaissance – which witnessed a return to the old forms of Egypt’s glorious past.

[edit] Source

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon