Egyptian statue of Akhenaten - harp or chair / throne figurehead. Amarna art

Amarna harp / chair / throne figurehead

Dimensions :-

Total Height including stand :-
23cm / 9 inches

Chin to back of head :-
11 cm / 4-1/4 inches

Base square :-
7 x 7 cm / 2-3/4 x 2-3/4 inches

* Combined postage offered.


On offer here for the first time is a rare replica of King Akhenaten as a stylised figurehead that would have been joined to a harp or the arms of an elaborate chair. Made of a limestone and quartzite composition stone the piece has been textured and coloured to recreate the appearance of the original fragment. It is mounted on a removable felt based stand.

Background information

This fragment is a small masterpiece of Amarna art.

Capturing the essence of Pharaoh Akhenaten's style imposed during the early years of his revolutionary reign, this piece was once the figurehead of a grand musical instrument...the harp, or the decorative detail of a chair. Compare the chair of princess Sitamun found in the tomb of Yuya and Thuya and cross reference images of Egyptian harps to form your own conclusion. It does have and exceptionally long neck that could have swept upwards to form the lower arc of a harp.

The identity of the portrait can't be specifically attributed to Akhenaten himself, as evidence of a uraeus cobra on the forehead cannot be traced. Nor are the bands that would support the cobra, present here. This particular wig is also something Akhenaten is never shown wearing but perhaps in private, a simple wig such as this would not be out of place. A king can't wear a crown all of the time.

The face certainly looks like Akhenaten and it was quite common to infuse the official facial style of the reigning monarch into the applied arts. If indeed it was an instrument, it may have been played in the court of the king as the quality of the features are exceptional and made to be seen.