Ramesses II at the British Museum, London

myminifactory

Weighing a massive 7.25 tons, this colossal fragment of his statue was expertly carved from a single block of two-toned granite. He is depicted wearing the nemes head-dress, topped by a cobra diadem. The skilled sculptor employed a subtle variation on traditional conventions to engage the viewer, angling the eyes downward slightly, making the statue more relatable to those looking at it. In 1816, Giovanni Belzoni successfully retrieved this monumental piece from the mortuary temple of Ramesses at Thebes, known as the 'Ramesseum'. Belzoni's account of his challenge to remove it is both fascinating and thought-provoking, considering its enormous size and the political obstacles he faced. A hole on the right side of the torso bears testament to an earlier attempt by members of Napoleon's expedition to Egypt in the late eighteenth century, who struggled to dislodge this massive statue. This object is part of "Scan The World", a groundbreaking non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory, aiming to create a comprehensive digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe, freely accessible to the public. Scan the World is an open-source community effort, inviting individuals with intriguing items to contribute by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how they can participate in this exciting project.