An Analysis of the Statuette of the Lady Tiye, an Ancient Egyptian Sculpture

Statuette of the Lady Tiye, standing at 24 centimeters tall, is an Egyptian wood sculpture dating back to the reign of Amenhotep III–Akhenaten, about 1390–1349 B.C. The sculpture shows Tiye, who was the royal wife of Amenhotep III, mother of Akhenaten, and grandmother of Tutankhamun. Born a commoner, Tiye rose in power to become an equal to her husband, which was uncommon to royal women, and even became worshipped as a goddess.[1] The statuette displays Tiye standing on a wood block base, wearing a robe and a necklace. She is smiling, with a content and determined appear on her face. She holds her correct arm powerfully bent on leading of her stomach, and her left arm straight down by her side. Golden hieroglyphics can be noticed at the base of the statuette. Statuette of the Lady Tiye displays intricate designs and movement to express the gentility and power that Tiye held in Egypt.

The statue seems to be in very good condition, albeit a big gash on the left buttock, and the left hand being slightly ripped and rough. The ankles are slightly chipped, and there is some discoloration scattered all over the statue. Paint is slightly chipping from the jewelry about her neck.

The necklace, produced of glass, Egyptian blue, carnelian, and gold, contrasts with the wood and creates a focal point employing a shift in material and colors. The true jewelry is a stark distinction from the rest of the wood, and expresses the rise of power and fortune of Queen Tiye.

A lot of geometric patterns cover the statue. On the voluminous wig, hundreds of small triangles cover the prime portion of the wig, with modest squares on the bottom portion of the wig. Little circles can be seen on the chest of the robe, as effectively as along the bottom of the robe near the ankles. These intricate particulars, specially in the wig, show how the sculptor wanted to capture the extremely-held significance and beauty that Tiye possessed in respect.

Various carvings inside of the wood create movement and repetition, such as repeated short strokes along the length of the robe, and long, shallow marks along the proper arm to the stomach. This draws the eye to the arm that is pulled up above the stomach. Contrapposto present in the statue also enables the eye to move along the statue, leading the eye from the best of the statue, down to the arms, and along the curves of the physique down to the feet.

The sculptor attempted realism, but was not totally profitable. The head is also huge for the body, providing the sculpture an practically cartoon-like top quality. The left arm does not have any curves and is a simplified straight line, and the thumbs of the figure are also big for the hand. Nonetheless, the curves of the waist and stomach peeking out under the clinging robes suggests that the Egyptians have been interested in producing realism and depth when showing off the form of Tiye’s body.

Statuette of the Lady Tiye shows how Tiye was regarded as a representation of fertility, and a gentle yet powerful symbol of Egypt that rivaled her husband.