The Statue of Demedji and Hennutsen - Essay Example

The size of the woman is almost half of the size of the man. Although the man is so big in comparison to the woman, both appear to be two mature people of approximately the same age. The woman cannot be mistaken to be a child despite her size because of her full body build and facial features. The man is almost naked showing his muscular upper body and sturdy arms and legs. His only body covering is some sort of a skirt. What makes him truly Egyptian is his head covering. The woman beside him wears a straight whole dress and has straight, shoulder-length hair. The simplicity of the figure and attire of the woman as well as her physical position signify that she is subordinate to the man. I think the man is one of the Pharaohs of old Egypt because of his headdress. The woman beside him could be one of his wives or mistresses. Their facial expressions are serious but not stern.

In my point of view, the artist is showing the two figures as clearly as he/she could portray for not any part of the body of each of the characters is hidden or distorted. They are portrayed as simply human beings except for their sizes, that is, the man is so big and the woman so small in comparison to him. On closer scrutiny, I think the artist is showing the difference in stature and position between the man and the woman. The man is superior and the woman is subordinate. This is not only manifested in the size of the figures but also the manner of their dressing. The woman’s attire is so simple compared to the man's. There is not much adornment for the woman that may either show her to be a princess or queen. The way she is dressed may even suggest that she is a servant except that she lacks any tool or object that will prove it. Thus, it would be much safer to consider her as a portrayal of how inferior is a woman compared to a man.

As to the figure style, the figures are rendered naturalistically, which is idealistic. The body parts are lean. These are the ways the ideal proportion and size of the human body should be. The man is shown as muscular and big while the woman should be petite with curves in the proper places like the breast and the belly despite the covering. I am just a little disturbed by the feet carved, they are not carefully formed to the ideal size, especially the toes.
The figures are static. They appear to be just standing and having their pictures taken. Or they are shown to be there for display so that others may see them. On a closer look though, their presence already gives an impression that they are important and should be given due respect and honor.

There is a proportion in terms of the body parts of each figure, however, in contrast to each other, the woman is too tiny and the man so big. These must be the ideal sizes of humans in the period this was created. As mentioned earlier, this may be because of the intention of the artist that speaks of man’s superiority over woman.
The artist did not put any other color on the figures except the natural lime color. Color is not applied maybe because it was the trend of the time. This does not diminish the effect that the sculpture has on the viewer.
The sculpture is three-dimensional. The figures appear to be real people posing for a picture. Closely, when you stand beside the sculpture they seem to be real people that exude power and influence.

For texture, the sculpture is polished yet plain, I can sense some sort of simple yet with magnanimity. Despite its simplicity, the power that the figures convey is evident and so real.
It is carved in a subtractive process. The tiny details of the carving are shown all over the object. There is even scribbling on the solid object on which the male figure sits.
The mood is solemn. As stand in front of the statue, I felt dumbfounded facing such powerful beings. I felt as if I am intruding on some formal ground where my presence is not welcome.

I think the statue is typical of the stylistic period in which the artist worked. As is written about Egyptian Art, it “was concerned above all with ensuring the continuity of the universe, the gods, the king, and the people. The artist, therefore, depicted things not as they saw them but as idealized symbols intended to be more significant and enduring than was otherwise possible in the real world. The best, most inspired Egyptian art, therefore, blends the real with the ideal” (Andrews, 2009).
This museum experience has given me a real experience with the presence and effect of works of art especially that of a sculpture of people of a time long past. Read More