Pair Statue of Memi and Sabu. Giza; Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2575–2465 B.C.E.). Painted limestone; H. 24 3/8 in. (62 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Rogers Fund, 1948 (48.111).

This statue is exceptional because the man, Memi, returns his companion's embrace. This gesture may explain why he stands with feet together rather than striding forward in the usual masculine pose. The statue is also interesting because of the differing sight lines of the figures. While Memi looks straight ahead, Sabu turns her gaze slightly to her left. Similar eccentricities are visible in many Old Kingdom statues, and these subtle deviations from the rather strict conventions that governed Egyptian artists serve to enliven and individualize their work.