Nefertiti Bust
The Nefertiti Bust is a renowned sculpture of Queen Nefertiti, dating back to around 1340 BCE during Ancient Egypt's eighteenth dynasty. Discovered in 1912 in the studio of the court sculptor Thutmose in Amarna, Egypt, this iconic work is celebrated for its near-perfect condition and realistic representation of the queen, who is often regarded as one of the most beautiful women of her time. Nefertiti was the principal consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten, known for promoting the worship of the sun god Aten, and is thought to have been of Syrian royal lineage.
The bust, made from gypsum and featuring a striking blue headpiece, stands about 19 inches tall and weighs approximately 44 pounds. It showcases intricate details such as inlaid crystal for one eye and traditional eye makeup associated with ancient Egyptian aesthetics. Although the bust was initially kept in Thutmose's studio and not displayed publicly, it eventually became a significant artifact in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin after its removal to Germany. Its authenticity has been reaffirmed through modern imaging and carbon dating techniques, despite some historical challenges. The ongoing discussions surrounding its return to Egypt highlight the broader issues of cultural heritage and artifact repatriation.
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Nefertiti Bust
The Nefertiti Bust is a sculpture depicting an ancient Egyptian queen. It dates back to the fourteenth century BCE and was found in Egypt in 1912. The bust is in near-perfect condition and is one of the most iconic works of art from Ancient Egypt. The statue’s apparently realistic portrayal of the queen is considered to be an image of one of the most beautiful women in the world.
Overview
Queen Nefertiti (c. 1370 BCE) was the main consort of the pharaoh Akhenaten (d. 1335 BCE), a ruler in Egypt’s eighteenth dynasty. Akhenaten is best known for rejecting the many gods worshipped in Egypt in favor of devotion to one: Aten, the sun god. Nefertiti is believed to have been a princess from Syria who married into the Egyptian royal family. She may have been the daughter of one of the advisers to the pharaoh.
When her husband mandated the change to worshipping Aten, he also changed his name from Amenhotep to Akhenaten. Nefertiti took on the additional name of Neferneferuaten, which is said to have meant “beautiful are the beauties of Aten, a beautiful woman has come.” Art and other historical records from the time indicate that unlike many previous pharaohs and their wives or consorts, Akhenaten and Nefertiti may have ruled together. Nefertiti bore six daughters with Akhenaten, after which he took other wives. One of these was his sister, who gave birth to Akhenaten’s famous son, Tutankhamen, who ruled Egypt from around 1334 to 1325 BCE.
The bust of Nefertiti is an image of a beautiful woman wearing an unusual cylindrical headpiece that is always associated with other artwork depicting Nefertiti. The sculpture is made of gypsum, a soft calcium-based mineral. One of its eyes is inlaid with crystal with a wax pupil, the other is incomplete. The bust is painted and includes the characteristic eye make-up associated with Ancient Egypt, while the headpiece is blue.
The bust is about 19 inches (48 centimeters) tall and weighs about 44 pounds (20 kilograms). With the exception of some damage to the ears and the absence of the cobra that once decorated the headpiece, experts say the bust is in remarkable condition. It is believed to have been sculpted about 1340 BCE by Thutmose, Akhenaten’s court sculptor. Many experts believe it was made as a model for other works of art that would depict Nefertiti. As a result, it stayed in Thutmose’s studio and was not displayed in ancient times.
It was found in 1912 during an excavation of Thutmose’s studio in Amarna, Egypt. The dig was led by German archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt (1863–1938). He removed the statue to Germany, and for the first twelve years after its discovery, the bust was displayed in the home of the excavation’s funder, James Simon (1851–1932), a German-Jewish entrepreneur. It was later put on display in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin. Egyptian officials have since attempted to have it returned to Egypt. Its authenticity was challenged in the early part of the twenty-first century, but carbon dating and imaging technology proved its authenticity. The imaging also revealed that the bust has a carved limestone core that was covered with modeled gypsum and then painted.
Bibliography
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“Top Ten Plundered Artifacts: Nefertiti’s Bust.” Time, content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1883142‗1883129‗1883119,00.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019.
Waldmann, Nadine. “Egypt and Berlin’s Icon: The Bust of Queen Nefertiti.” Daily Art, 16 Oct. 2018, www.dailyartmagazine.com/bust-of-queen-nefertiti/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019.
“Who Made the Bust of Queen Nefertiti?” Biblical Archeological Society, 3 Nov. 2015, www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/who-made-the-bust-of-queen-nefertiti/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019.