Egyptian sculpture

160 EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE

face, with the exception of the eye, is carefully rendered, particularly in the parts round the nose and mouth: The position of the eye is the chief fault, for the eyeball stands out beyond the level of the brow; this position of the eye should be compared with the heads of the Old and Middle Kingdoms (Pls. VII.; XVI. 1). Otherwise the eye is well rendered; it is open, with a steep angle at the inner corner and a deep fossa. The eyebrows are represented as raised bands along the brow and following the line of the orbit on the outer side; it is to be noted that the extended line of paint, so usual in statues of the New Kingdom, is omitted. The hair is parted in the middle, and brought stiffly down across the forehead and over the ears to the shoulders, standing out from the face and neck as though stiffened artificially. The top of the head is flat and low, yet entirely different from the low, flat heads of the Old Kingdom, with which it should be compared (Pls. IX. 1; XVI. 2).

The head of an unnamed statue (Pl. XLIV. 3) shows that, already in the XXVth dynasty, the sculptors had begun to copy early work. The method of dressing the hair is like the statues of the Old Kingdom (cp. Pl. XI. 2), though the representation is somewhat unintelligent. The modelling of the face has the boldness and firmness of the period, and should be contrasted with the expressionless faces and smooth technique of the XXVIJth dynasty.

The basalt head, now in Berlin, is difficult to date. It is certainly earlier than Roman, but there is nothing to compare with it in the Ptolemaic, Persian, or Saite periods. The lifelike modelling and the accuracy of the anatomy are not unlike the head of Mentu-em-hat, of the XX Vth dynasty, and in style it resembles the work of that period. The strongly naturalistic school which arose at that time may well be responsible for this extraordinarily fine head.