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Abidôs – Portrait de Séti I

Pascal Sebah

Artwork Details

Abidôs – Portrait de Séti I
circa 1880
Pascal Sebah
albumen print on paper
12 1/16 in x 17 1/16 in (30.64 cm x 43.34 cm)
Transfer from the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology
1980/1.202

On Display

Not currently on display

Description

Subject Matter:

Complexities abound in this photograph of a relief carving from the mortuary temple of Seti I at Abydos. The image fluctuates between two and three dimensions, as it focuses on the mostly flat, low-relief image of Seti I, yet the sliver of a corner along the right-hand edge of the picture suggests three-dimensional space. In addition, the camera’s zoomed-in view renders any sense of scale difficult to determine, a quality which is reinforced by the hieratic scale of the carved scene—the figure of the deceased pharaoh is much larger than that of the goddess Maat, who fits into the palm of his right hand.   

Physical Description:

Close-up view of a low-relief sculpture that depicts a human figure in twisted perspective who holds out another, much smaller, seated human figure in one hand. The figures are surrounded by images of birds and plants, as well as hieroglyphics. 

Usage Rights:

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