Egyptian sculpture

166 EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE

the artists of the time of Alexander the Great could produce before the extreme decadence of the Ptolemaic era set in. The triad (Pl. XLVI12) represents three deities—Osiris in the centre, with Isis on his right and Nepthys on his left. This group should be compared with the triad of Menkaura, for though it follows the same tradition, there are great differences in style, treatment, and conception. In the early example the divine king stands between the goddesses, the sculpture being made for his glorification and the decoration of his temple; here, no human element is permitted to enter, the group was not for earthly use, but shows pious feeling towards the gods who were thus supposed to protect the dead in his tomb. The central figure, Osiris, is considerably taller than the others, but, his crown being lower, the tops of the three head-dresses are on a level. He stands almost clear of the two female figures, whom he touches merely with the points of his elbows. He is represented in the conventional wrapping-cloak, from which the hands only emerge; compare the veiled arms in this figure with the similar effect inthe statue of Nefert (Pl. VII.). The knees are indicated and the outward curve of the calf; this is little more than outline and can hardly be called modelling, the same may also be said of the upper part of the body. The left hand, which holds the crook, is better than the right, on which the flail appears to be balanced rather than grasped. The head-dress is peculiar to Osiris, and consists of the crown of Upper Egypt between two conventionalised ostrich feathers. The addition of the royal uraeus is not found on the heads of divinities in early sculptures. The face is unfortunately mutilated; what remains shows the careful unintelligent work of the Saite tradition. The figures of the goddesses offer an interesting comparison with the early examples. The elongated effect of both face and figure is