Bust of King Amenemhat III
Middle Kingdom
Close stylistic parallels to this bust were found at Karnak. Following the lead of these comparative pieces, one can reconstruct the complete work: the king would have been shown with his arms stretched forward and his hands flat on the starched front of his ceremonial kilt. The traditional gesture of prayer was directed in this case to the god Amun, lord of the Karnak temple. It is instructive to compare the warm and assured style of this Karnak image of Amenemhat III with the much harsher features of the sphinx of Senwosret III (from the same site) farther on the right. Egyptian art changed considerably in the course of a single generation.
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