Cleveland Museum of Art

Relief of Hatshepsut or Tuthmosis III

Date

1479–1425 BCE

Medium

painted limestone

Culture

Egypt, said to be from Thebes, Deir el-Bahari, Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18, reign of Hatshepsut (c. 1479–1458 BCE)–reign of Tuthmosis III (1479–1425 BCE)

Department

Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

At the death of King Tuthmosis II, a child was proclaimed king, Tuthmosis III. His aunt Hatshepsut was named to serve as his regent; however, she quickly proclaimed herself queen and ruled in the boy's stead for over twenty years. To further assert her power she often had herself portrayed in sculpture as a king with masculine torso and even a beard. She is shown here wearing crowns usually reserved for kings. When Tuthmosis III finally ascended to the throne, he had many of her monuments destroyed or vandalized.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.