What do you see going on in this work of art? Is there a story depicted?

These figures were placed in the tomb of an official named Metjetji. They depict him at different stages of his career. Since these were placed in his tomb their purpose may have been to display the good work he did for the Pharaoh and Egypt across his entire life. This could then help him when his heart was weighed before he would be allowed to enter the afterlife.

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?

The first obvious element is scale. One statue is taller than the other, which helps distinguish the two different times being depicted. This is further supported by the fact that one statue is thinner and shorter than the other. The color on this statue is also well preserved, allowing us to see the beaded jewelry around his neck and the strands of beads hanging from his belt. This makes Metjetji seem like an important figure. The different details in the coloring of the two figures additionally support the idea that he is depicted at different stages of his career.

What choices do you think the museum made about the object’s display?

The museum most likely decided to place the objects along with other Egyptian statues from the same period. Originally, it would have also had to be determined that these two went together and depicted the same official.

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