Egyptian sculpture

46 EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE

In taking a general view over the art of the Old Kingdom, it is evident that convention had already set its seal on the artist. The statues are posed according to definite rules; the figures are single, in pairs, or in triads. In standing statues there is no action, except the forward stride of a male figure, and that stride can hardly be called action, as the effect is more that of a man standing at ease; a woman stands with the feet together. The head is always set in the exact median line, the eyes looking straight forward. In the single figures the man’s arms sometimes hang down on each side, while he grasps some object in each hand; this is also the position of the standing woman. Sometimes only one arm of the man hangs down, and with the other hand he grasps a long staff. The same positions are held by the man when he is one of a pair; but in a dyad, the woman embraces his shoulders or waist with the arm nearest to him. The two figures may be the same height, or the woman may be slightly shorter than the man. In triads, the central figure is taller than the other two, and the apparent height is increased by the head-dress. In seated figures the man is represented sitting bolt upright, the hands resting on the thighs, one laid flat; the other is often clenched. There is, however, a notable exception to this position of the hands in royal figures wearing the Sed-heb garment, where one hand rests on the thigh and the other is held across the breast. The women’s figures, when seated, have one arm across the breast; the other arm sometimes rests on the lap, or is sometimes folded across the body. In triads, the woman may stand as in the single statue, or may embrace the man as in the dyad.

The costume in the Old Kingdom sculptures is” not peculiarly distinctive. The men of rank wear a loin-cloth, which could be arranged in several ways. For a king it was