Ritual Statuette of Thutmose III
Unknown Artist
ca. 1479–1425 B.C.
Medium
Black bronze, gold inlay
Dimensions
h. 13.1 cm (5 1/8 in) [16.2 cm (6 3/8 in) with tang]; w. 6.0 cm (2 3/8 in); d. 7.6 cm (3 in)
Classification
Statuette, kneeling king, Thutmose III
Period
New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Edith Perry Chapman Fund and Malcolm Hewitt Wiener Foundation Inc. Gift, 1995
Accession Number
1995.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ritual statuette depicts Thutmose III, of ancient Egypt's greatest warrior-pharaohs, who ruled during the New Kingdom's 18th Dynasty (. 1479–1425 B.C.). Standing just over 5 inches tall, the figure captures the king in a classic striding pose, embodying eternal vigilance and divine kingship. Thutmose III transformed Egypt into a vast empire through military campaigns, and such statuettes served vital religious purposes: placed in temples, they housed the ruler's ka—his vital spirit—allowing priests to offer daily rituals that sustained his power in the afterlife. Crafted from b...