MIDDLE KINGDOM, 12TH DYNASTY, 1985-1773 B.C.

Standing in the typical striding pose with his arms at the sides, this figure depicts an official who once held a scepter in his right hand. The face displays the characteristic features of 12th Dynasty royal and private sculpture – deep-set eyes and a slightly downturned mouth – and is especially reminiscent of works from the reign of Amenemhet III (r. 1831-1786 B.C.). The figure is traditionally constructed with the arms carved separately and attached to the shoulders with dowels. Although the surface was originally gessoed and painted, the sculptor has taken advantage of the wood’s natural grain to create a striking symmetrical pattern across the powerfully modeled bare chest and the long kilt. The kilt is folded on the right with a peaked upper apron and a triangular tab that descends onto the shins. Comparable wood officials of a similar date have been attributed to the site of Meir in Middle Egypt (see the figure in Berlin, inv. no. 21611, W. Kaiser, Ägyptisches Museum Berlin, fig. 313).