Head of King Djedefre. Abu Rawash; Fourth Dynasty, reign of Djedefre (ca. 2528–2520 B.C.E.). Red quartzite with remains of red paint; H. 10 3/8 in. (26.5 cm). Musée du Louvre, Paris (E 12626).

Djedfre, successor of Khufu, built a funerary complex at Abu Ramash. Depredations over the millennia have left little evidence of the original structures and their decoration, but fragments of statuary were discovered where they had been dumped in a boat pit during the late dynasties. There are only four known heads of Djedfre, all apparently in red quartzite, the color and texture of which suggest flesh. The modeling and quiet individuality of this head, the largest, create a royal portrait of unmatched subtlety.