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Esfinge de Sesóstris III

Middle Kingdom
ca. 1878–1840 B.C.
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 111
A esfinge egípcia combina um corpo de leão e uma cabeça humana, muitas vezes—como aqui—com um rabo de touro. A esfinge representava o poder real na sua modalidade mais formidável e era assim empregada frequentemente a proteção das portas dos palácios e templos. Nesta esfinge, é ável porque o escultor usou o grão da pedra para destacar as curvas do corpo felino. A cabeça representa o faraó Sesóstris III com expressão grave. Sob a barba cerimonial, é delineada a fachada de um palácio (serekh), em cujo interior figuram o nome do Horus do Faraó (FORMA DIVINA) e seu nome de trono (RESPLANDECENTES SÃO AS FORÇAS VITAIS [Kas] DE RÁ).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Título: Esfinge de Sesóstris III
  • Período: Império Médio, Dinastia XII
  • Data: ca. 1878–1840 a.C.
  • Geografia: Tebas, Karnak
  • Meio: Gneiss
  • Dimensões: 42,5 x 29,3 x 73 cm de largura
  • Linha de créditos: Doação de Edward S. Harkness, 1917
  • Número de acesso: 17.9.2
  • Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

Audio

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Cover Image for 804. Kids: Sphinx of King Senwosret III

804. Kids: Sphinx of King Senwosret III

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If you wanted to know what someone was like, you might look at his or her face. You can learn a lot about people from looking at their expression, noticing the look in their eyes. Do they look stern or kind? Happy or sad? This statue shows Senwosret III, who ruled Egypt almost four thousand years ago. If you had to describe the expression on his face, what would you say? He looks serious, even grim, as if he might be thinking about all his responsibilities. The statue of Senwosret has the head of man, but the body of a lion. Do you know what that kind of figure is called? It’s a sphinx. Crouching sphinxes like this one often guarded sacred places, and pairs of sphinxes guarded entrances to important buildings. As you walk through these galleries, see how many other sphinxes you can find.

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