Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut

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This colossal kneeling statue showcases Queen Hatshepsut wearing her traditional nemes headdress and false beard, offering two jugs of milk or water. Her name, Maat-ka-re, is inscribed in the cartouche above the buckle of her belt. Typically, this kneeling position is depicted in representations of New Kingdom kings and queens while presenting jars of offerings. The oldest such statue of this type is that of Pepi I, crafted from green slate, now on display at The Brooklyn Museum. Other kneeling statues depict royalty presenting an offering altar or a Naos of a god's statue. This imposing statue emphasizes physical presence with large shoulders and powerful muscles, which reduces the femininity of Queen Hatshepsut. The curves in her body and feet contribute to the naturalism of the statue. The statue is made from Red granite, excavated from Deir el-Bahri, and dates back to the 18th Dynasty. This work can be found on the Ground Floor (Gallery 7) of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Note that the thumbnail image depicts a similar piece from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, not the version in Cairo. Photography and photogrammetry were done by Tim Kendall, Bryan Whitney, Geoff Kornfeld, and Zhejiang University.