Egyptian sculpture

72 EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE

is part of the richly sculptured tomb of Mereru-ka, which is one of the glories of Old Kingdom art. In the lefthand group the ox has been caught by one horn, to which a man clings while he pulls with all his force; the figure is in true profile and the violent action is well indicated. A second man has flung himself on his knees beside the near front leg which he has caught in the crook of his tight arm, and with the left hand he pulls up the foot of the animal; the man’s right foot is raised in the pose assumed by the rapid action which has nearly overbalanced him. A third man kneeling by the near hind leg has his right arm round the leg and with his left hand is forcing the animal’s foot from the ground. The figures of both the men, who hold the bull’s legs, are in true profile. A fourth man is in the act of leaping on the back of the bull, while holding the tail and one horn of the creature; the lightness and agility of the figure are wonderfully rendered. Here we have also an attempt to represent the foreshortening necessary in a front view, as is seen in the thighs. The ox is the most disappointing member of the group as, except for the tail, it evidences far less excitement than the men. This is possibly because it is represented at the moment when it is losing its balance, its head being turned to the left as the body falls to the right. In the right-hand group the general effect is as vigorous as in the other. The bull is better rendered, it has evidently been caught by the men as it charged; its head is held up by two men, one of whom sits precariously sideways on its back; two other men have seized the animal’s front legs and are lifting its feet so as to bring the creature down by the head, assisted by its own momentum. A fifth man, with his right foot braced against the near hind leg of the bull, appears to be lifting the beast by the tail to increase the forward and downward movement.