Statue of Nectanebo II

Nectanebo is shown here in prayer pose, kneeling with his hands on his thighs. According to the hieroglyphic inscriptions engraved on the dorsal pillar, he was a high ranking official of the state, a priest, and a close associate of Pharaoh Psametik II during the 6th century BCE. Around the base, two oblatory formulae (‘making offerings to the gods’) place him under the protection of the god Thoth. Placing one’s effigy in the temple of a particular god was a way for the bearer to benefit from the offerings made to that deity. The refined style of this piece is reminiscent of the statuary of the Ancient Empire of the 3rd millennium BCE. The exceptional sculptural qualities of this statue, one of the oldest in French collections, played a major role in ensuring that Egyptian art would enjoy recognition on a par with Greco-Roman art.