Pair Statue of Iai-ib and Khuaut. Giza; Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2575–2465 B.C.E.). Painted limestone; H. 29 in. (73.5 cm). Universität Leipzig, Ägyptisches Museum (3684).


This superb pair statue bears a striking resemblance in pose to that of King Menkaure and a queen, suggesting that the two works were made about the same time. As in the royal statue, both Iai-ib and Khuaut appear in a striding pose, the woman's left foot slightly less advanced than the man's. Khuaut is only a fraction smaller than Iai-ib and stands slightly behind him with her right arm around his back. Unlike the majority of Egyptian statues from the Fourth Dynasty onward, both of these figures have been freed extensively from the stone, especially around the lower legs. The back pillar has also been kept to a minimum, allowing the sculptor to devote unusual attention to the backs of the figures.