Kopf einer Königin

The upper cone of this head served as an attachment to a royal headgear, which makes it possible to attribute the sculpture to a queen. It is often identified with Nefertiti, who appears here due to the gentle features in the blossom of her young years. Due to its elaboration, the head as part of a composite statue is classified in the series of three other images of the Nefertiti (ÄM 21300, ÄM 21358, ÄM 21263), which were found in the Thutmosis workshop. Dorothea Arnold assigns the production of the said heads to different sculptors and believes in the same artist at AM 21263 and in this head due to the stylistic nature. The black drawings on the headband, nose, nostrils, eyes, eyebrows, ear and earlobes as well as the correction drawings on the neck indicate that the head was still in its processing phase. In the further steps the polish and probably a painting of the head were provided, as the perfectly curved lips with a touch of red indicate. The slightly indicated cheek muscles, the dimples around the corner of the mouth and the wider nose give the somewhat roundel head very natural but idealizing features, which speaks for a late amarnazeitliche emergence. The youthful freshness gives some researchers the reason to assign this image to the Merit-Aton, daughter of Echnaton and Nefertiti. This “splendor” described by Borchardt was found in room 19, immediately before the passage, which lead to the “große Hof” of P 47.2/3 and was later walled up. Many of the plaster models came to light in the immediate vicinity. From: Mettlen, J., in: F. Seyfried (eds), Im Licht von Amarna. 100 years of the Nofretene find, Berlin 2012, p. 344 (Cat. No. 126). Origin information: German Orient Society (DOG), client Borchardt, Ludwig (5.10.1863 - 12.8.1938), head of the excavation Amenophis (Amenhotep) IV/Akhenaten Dating: Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten P 47.02 (Egypt/Middle Egypt/Amarna/P 47/P 47.01-03 (estate)) Room 19 donation James Simon, 1920 (Egyptian museum and collection of papyrus)