Ancient Art Announcements

Egyptian and Roman Statues Now on Display

By Stan Parchin
Saturday, December 31, 2005

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas set an auction bid world record on December 9 when it purchased the Egyptian Group Statue of Ka-nefer and His Family (ca. 2450 B.C.) at Christie's in New York. Already on view, the tomb sculpture was acquired from a private American collection for 2.8 million dollars (US). The limestone statue with traces of its original paint on the eyes, hair, skin, garments and jewelry was carved during Dynasty V (2465-2323 B.C.) of Egypt's Old Kingdom period. Fourteen inches high, the court official seated on a high chair is accompanied by his standing son and kneeling wife, each embracing one of his legs with one of their arms. The child and spouse are smaller in size than Ka-nefer in keeping with the Egyptian artistic tradition of hieratic scale, in which the most important figure in the composition is the largest one. Inscriptions by Ka-nefer's feet identify the three figures clearly as "Overseer of the Craftsmen, Priest of Ptah," "His wife, the Royal Confidant, Tjen-tety" and "His son, the Overseer of Craftsmen, Khuwy-ptah."

The statue probably comes from Ka-nefer's as yet undiscovered tomb in Saqqara, the main necropolis or burial ground of Memphis, Egypt's Old Kingdom capital. Saqqara is best known for the innovative Step Pyramid and funerary complex of Pharaoh Djoser (ca. 2630-2611 B.C.) from Dynasty III. Ka-nefer wears a pleated kilt. The collar around his neck suggests a certain amount of social standing, while the cylinder in his clasped right hand is a common ancient Egyptian symbol of rank or stature in office. If indeed this superb example of classic statuary from Egypt's pharaonic past comes from Ka-nefer's tomb, it may have been created to house his ka or spirit in the event of the possible decomposition or destruction of his mummified body.

Meanwhile in Italy, Rome's Capitoline Museums inaugurated a new glass-roofed wing last Thursday. The hall is now the permanent home of the famous Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, the First Century A.D. Roman emperor, Stoic philosopher and author of his Meditations. Cast in 176 A.D., the bronze statue represents the emperor, right arm outstretched, on horseback. Severely damaged by the effects of pollution, the sculpture was removed in 1981 from its public place of prominence in Rome's Piazza del Campidoglio. Pope Paul III, known for having called the Catholic Church's reforming Council of Trent in 1545, installed the statue in the plaza in 1538. A copy of the original has stood in its place since 1997. Restorers took ten years to return the steed and its rider to their pristine glory.

Image credit:
Group Statue of Ka-nefer and His Family
Egyptian, Old Kingdom, Dynasty V (ca. 2450 B.C.)
Probably Saqqara
Limestone, with traces of original painted decoration
H 14 in.
© Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX