Ancient Egyptian (Unknown), CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Statue of Seated Imhotep
by Ancient Egyptian (Unknown), -30
Artwork Details
Details
- Year
- -30
- Medium
- Cupreous metal, precious metal inlay
- Size
- H. 14 × W. 4.8 × D. 9.8 cm (5 1/2 × 1 7/8 × 3 7/8 in.)
Cite or Embed This Work
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Ancient Egyptian A small seated figure of Imhotep holding an open papyrus scroll, made from cupreous metal with precious metal inlay. Imhotep oversaw construction of Egypt's first monumental stone pyramid (the Step Pyramid at Saqqara) around 2650 BCE, over two thousand years before this statue was made.
By the Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BCE), Imhotep had been deified. He was invoked as patron of writing and wisdom, and people sought his help with sickness and infertility. The Greeks later equated him with their god of medicine, Asklepios. He's almost always depicted in this same pose: seated, holding a scroll.
It stands just 14 cm (5.5 inches) tall. Formerly part of the Carnarvon Collection, it's in Gallery 134 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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About Statue of Seated Imhotep
The architect who oversaw construction of Egypt's first monumental stone pyramid (the Step Pyramid at Saqqara) around 2650 BCE. He was deified centuries later and became patron of writing, wisdom, and healing. The Greeks equated him with Asklepios.
Imhotep was invoked for help with sickness and infertility, and revered as patron of writing and wisdom. His deification is rare: very few non-royal Egyptians achieved divine status.
Gallery 134 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's from the Ptolemaic Period (332-30 BCE), just 14 cm tall, made from metal with precious metal inlay.
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