Stela of two deified men
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Roman Period, late first century B. C. – early first century A.D.
Alt text: rock structure about a foot high with engravings. Two men depicted as larger walking from left to right holding bows. Between the two of them, two men/deities on thrones. Above, one man standing holding staff. In front of the rightmost large man, a small man stands holding two jars. Dogs are seen walking on the bottom that are half the size of the large men’s feet.
What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?
A pharaoh gives an offering to two deities, who are showing signs of life, implying their answer to the man. The two men were mortals turned immortal.
What different visual elements (ie: line, color, light, proportions, scale, composition, media type etc.) do you notice, and how do they help you make sense of the artwork?
We notice detailed depictions of the smaller figures/gods, particularly in their headpieces. The fact that the two men are three times the size of the gods shows that they are the focus of the work, and perhaps related as they look identical.
What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?
The precious and ancient artifacts that museums want to preserve to the highest order are kept in dark, dim rooms without windows. It was displayed upright to allude to how it may have been originally displayed.
Group Members
| Name (first and last) | Campus | Seminar 1 Professor |
|---|---|---|
| Carol Tawil | Brooklyn | Saam Trivedi |
| Gloria Jean | Brooklyn | Dale Byam |
