The statue of the steward Nemtyhotep (Berlin ÄM 15700) and some considerations about royal and private portrait under Amenemhat III

Résumé En

From his analysis of the statue of Nemtyhotep (Berlin ÄM 15700) the author draws the following conclusions: the statue shows all the characteristics of the upper-elite sculpture of the Late Middle Kingdom. The material, size, and quality are typical for statues of high officials and indicate that the statue probably came from a royal workshop. The style suggests a date in the reign of Amenemhat III; indeed, the fact shows the features of the "softened" portrait of this king. Basically, the royal portrait of Amenemhat III occurs in two main variants: a stern and expressive one, intended mainly for large-scale statues made of hard stones which were probably installed in open-air spaces, and a more human and sensitive one, meant for smaller-size statues, often of precious or less durable materials. Private statuary from this reign usually follows the latter model; the former seems to be reserved to the king and intended for a specific message and function.