Artwork
Ostracon with a Drawing of a King
Ostracon with a Drawing of a King is an unspecified painting by Ancient Egyptian. It dates from -1182 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. This limestone ostracon features a drawing of an Egyptian king, executed in red and black pigments.
- Accession no.
- 121738
- Credit line
- Museum Purchase Fund
About this work
Overview
This limestone ostracon features a drawing of an Egyptian king, executed in red and black pigments. The artwork showcases the traditional two-stage technique of Egyptian sketching, where an initial red outline is refined and finalized in black.
Subject & Meaning
The depicted king wears a crowned headdress with streamers and a pleated kilt, symbols of royal authority. He leans on a standard surmounted by the ram-headed emblem of Amun, highlighting the monarch's divine connection and possibly alluding to religious or ceremonial contexts.
Technique & Style
The drawing demonstrates a common Egyptian artistic practice: a preliminary red outline, subject to corrections, overlaid with a final black layer. Note that while the visual note mentions 'sfumato', this technique is actually characteristic of European Renaissance art, not ancient Egyptian. The correct observation here is the use of red for underdrawings, a well-documented Egyptian practice.
History & Provenance
Unfortunately, specific historical and provenance details for this ostracon are not provided in the available information.
Context
Created on a limestone flake (ostracon), this work likely originated from an ancient Egyptian artistic or religious setting, possibly as a sketch for a larger composition or a study by either a draftsman or a master artist, given the division of labor common in Egyptian artistry.
Legacy
As a representative of Egyptian sketching techniques, this ostracon offers insight into the artistic processes and religious symbolism of ancient Egypt, contributing to the understanding of their visual culture.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
- Statue of Deified Amenhotep I
Osiris carrying a flail and crook
Foreigners, Tomb of Menkheperraseneb
Syrians Bringing Vessels and Weapons, Tomb of Rekhmire
Stone sculpture of a head of a warrior, probably from Palace of Xerxes
Man Carrying Loaves, Tomb of Rekhmire
Women at a Banquet
Cretans Bringing Gifts of Metal and Jewelry, Tomb of Rekhmire
Painting of Lady Tjepu
Architectural drawing of an entrance pylon to an Egyptian temple
Sandal Maker, Tomb of Rekhmire
Untitled