Face of Senwosret III
Unknown Artist
ca. 1878–1840 B.C.
Medium
Red quartzite
Dimensions
H. 16.5 × W. 12.6 × D. 11.4 cm (6 1/2 × 4 15/16 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
Head, Senwosret III; 12th-Dyn-King
Period
Middle Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift, 1926
Accession Number
26.7.1394
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking portrait head, carved from durable red quartzite around 1878–1840 B.C., represents King Senwosret III of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12. As a pharaoh renowned for strengthening royal authority and expanding Egypt’s borders, Senwosret III commissioned works that conveyed both power and humanity. The compact scale—roughly the size of a human head—suggests it may have formed part of a larger statue or served as a votive offering in a temple setting. Red quartzite, prized for its strength and warm hue, was reserved for royal sculptures, symbolizing the king’s eternal vitality. T...