Fragmenary statuette of kneeling King Shabaqo
Unknown Artist
ca. 712–698 B.C.
Medium
Glazed steatite, paint
Dimensions
H. 6.3 × L. 8.1 × W. 3.2 cm (2 1/2 × 3 3/16 × 1 1/4 in.)
Classification
Statuette, King Shabaqo
Period
Third Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1990
Accession Number
1990.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
This small yet powerful statuette, carved from glazed steat and once highlighted with paint, depicts King Shabaqo kneeling in a gesture of offering or devotion. Created around 712–698 B.C. during Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period, it belongs to Dynasty 25, when rulers from the kingdom of Kush in Nubia established control over Egypt. The fragmentary figure captures the Kushite pharaohs’ deliberate embrace of ancient Egyptian royal traditions while introducing subtle stylistic elements drawn from their southern homeland. Measuring just over six centimeters in height, the piece was likely part o...