Cleveland Museum of Art

Head of Amenhotep III Wearing the Blue Crown

Date

c. 1391–1353 BCE

Medium

granodiorite

Culture

Egypt, New Kingdom (1540–1069 BCE), Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BCE)

Department

Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

During the long, peaceful reign of Amenhotep III, Egypt reached a pinnacle of wealth and splendor. This magnificent portrait captures the ruler's exotic features to perfection. He has large, almond-shaped eyes, elegant arched eyebrows, and a full mouth. His face is youthful and without blemish. The bone structure is lost in the fleshy fullness of the face. The contrast between polished and roughened surfaces is a hallmark of hard stone images of Amenhotep III. The flesh areas were smoothed to a glistening sheen, while the eyeballs and the crown were left rougher. The roughening of the crown also had a practical purpose, for the upper portion was originally painted blue and the browband was painted yellow. The paint would have adhered better to the unpolished surface. The Blue Crown or Khepresh was worn by New Kingdom Pharaohs into battle as well as in ceremonies.

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