Menkaure Dyad
Title
Menkaure Dyad
Date
4th Dynasty, 2490–2472 B.C.E.
Artist or Workshop
Unknown
Materials
Greywacke
Height of the work
139 cm tall
Provenience
“Thieves’ Hole” in the Menkaura Valley Temple, Giza, Egypt
Current Location
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Description and Significance
Description:
The pair statue of King Menkaure and the mysterious woman next him has raised a large amount of questions for many years. The deeply dark colored statue depicts the king standing in an upright striding position, beside a woman to his left. Only the top half of the statue has been polished. The two figures are vertically supported by a large slab of stone that is connected to their backsides. They are similar in size, but the king is slightly taller. They have a very strong frontal axis to their posture, and this piece was most likely intended to only be viewed from the front. The king’s right arm is slightly further retracted than his left, and his left foot is placed in front of his body, creating a sense of stepping forward. The king's hands are clenched in fists holding enigmatic cylindrical objects. The woman beside him also has her left foot placed slightly in front of her right, however, her stance is not as prominent as the king’s. The king’s body and facial features are depicted in an idealized youthful rendering, signaling that this is truly from the Old Kingdom time period. He is wearing a traditional nemes headdress, false beard, and 3-piece kilt. The woman is dressed in a common, plain Egyptian dress and Egyptian wig. The woman's dress hangs to just above her ankles and is close-fitting. Her right arm is wrapped around his back and her right hand is placed on his waist. Her left hand is placed on his left bicep in a very supporting pose.
Significance:
The true mystery behind this work of art comes from the woman that is next to him.
Based on her pose, it is clear that she is protective of him and serves as the secondary figure of the statue. An uncommon aspect about this woman is the fact that her left foot is placed in front of her right, along with King Menkaure. This is extremely significant because during this time, this was a pose that was strictly limited to males, or divine entities. Many experts still debate whether or not she is his queen, his mother, or a goddess that is watching over him. It is almost impossible to tell who the woman is for sure because the base of the statue was never inscribed. This piece was considered unfinished because there are key details missing from the woman’s wig, the king’s nemes headdress, and the lack of polish applied to the bottom half of the sculpture. It is assumed that this piece was never finished due to the king’s sudden death and the immediate need to place the piece into his temple. Although there are no written indications of whom the woman may be, based on her size and her gesture towards the king, many have generally assumed that she is woman of royalty, making it most likely that she is an innovative depiction of the queen.
The pair statue of King Menkaure and the mysterious woman next him has raised a large amount of questions for many years. The deeply dark colored statue depicts the king standing in an upright striding position, beside a woman to his left. Only the top half of the statue has been polished. The two figures are vertically supported by a large slab of stone that is connected to their backsides. They are similar in size, but the king is slightly taller. They have a very strong frontal axis to their posture, and this piece was most likely intended to only be viewed from the front. The king’s right arm is slightly further retracted than his left, and his left foot is placed in front of his body, creating a sense of stepping forward. The king's hands are clenched in fists holding enigmatic cylindrical objects. The woman beside him also has her left foot placed slightly in front of her right, however, her stance is not as prominent as the king’s. The king’s body and facial features are depicted in an idealized youthful rendering, signaling that this is truly from the Old Kingdom time period. He is wearing a traditional nemes headdress, false beard, and 3-piece kilt. The woman is dressed in a common, plain Egyptian dress and Egyptian wig. The woman's dress hangs to just above her ankles and is close-fitting. Her right arm is wrapped around his back and her right hand is placed on his waist. Her left hand is placed on his left bicep in a very supporting pose.
Significance:
The true mystery behind this work of art comes from the woman that is next to him.
Based on her pose, it is clear that she is protective of him and serves as the secondary figure of the statue. An uncommon aspect about this woman is the fact that her left foot is placed in front of her right, along with King Menkaure. This is extremely significant because during this time, this was a pose that was strictly limited to males, or divine entities. Many experts still debate whether or not she is his queen, his mother, or a goddess that is watching over him. It is almost impossible to tell who the woman is for sure because the base of the statue was never inscribed. This piece was considered unfinished because there are key details missing from the woman’s wig, the king’s nemes headdress, and the lack of polish applied to the bottom half of the sculpture. It is assumed that this piece was never finished due to the king’s sudden death and the immediate need to place the piece into his temple. Although there are no written indications of whom the woman may be, based on her size and her gesture towards the king, many have generally assumed that she is woman of royalty, making it most likely that she is an innovative depiction of the queen.
References
Khan Academy Website: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/egypt-art/predynastic-old-kingdom/a/king-menkaure-mycerinus-and-queen
Museum of Fine Arts Website:
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/king-menkaura-mycerinus-and-queen-230
Egypt and Beyond Book:
Lesko, Leonard H. Egypt and Beyond: Essays Presented to Leonard H. Lesko. Edited by Stephen E. Thompson and Peter Der Manuelian, Manuelian Design, 2008. Pg. 109-117
Museum of Fine Arts Website:
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/king-menkaura-mycerinus-and-queen-230
Egypt and Beyond Book:
Lesko, Leonard H. Egypt and Beyond: Essays Presented to Leonard H. Lesko. Edited by Stephen E. Thompson and Peter Der Manuelian, Manuelian Design, 2008. Pg. 109-117
Contributor
Gentry Pack
Citation
Unknown, “Menkaure Dyad,” Digital Portrait "Basket" - ARTH488A "Ancient Mediterranean Portraiture", accessed April 24, 2024, http://classicalchopped.artinterp.org/omeka/items/show/9.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.