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Primary sourceSculpturec. 1345 BC

Standing Figure of Nefertiti

c. 1345 BC

An incomplete limestone statuette from Thutmose's workshop showing an older, more lifelike Nefertiti.

Found in Thutmose's workshop, this rare full statue shows an older, more lifelike Nefertiti unlike her idealised bust.

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Photograph of a pale limestone statue of a standing nude female figure with a tall crown, shown in profile on a rectangular base, with a back pillar behind it. Arms are at the sides, one hand is partly visible, and the feet are on the base.
Standing Figure of Nefertiti, c. 1345 BC. Egyptian Museum, Berlin.

About this source

What it is

This limestone statue of Nefertiti, made around 1350 BC, was found broken into pieces in 1920 during excavation of the sculptor Thutmose's workshop at Amarna. It was acquired by James Simon, who gave it to the Egyptian Museum of Berlin, where it remains today, still incomplete.

Why it matters

Unlike the smooth idealised bust of Nefertiti, this statue shows her as an older woman, with signs of age after bearing six children. This was a deliberate break from Egyptian artistic tradition, which usually showed royalty as eternally youthful, and reveals how Amarna-period art experimented with more lifelike portrayal of real people, including the queen herself.

Look closer

  • Why might this statue show Nefertiti differently from the famous painted bust?
  • What does showing signs of age suggest about Amarna-period ideas of beauty and truth?
  • Why do you think the statue was left unfinished?

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