Fund, Charles Edwin Wilbur. Statue Of A Family Group. N.d. Photograph. Brooklyn Museum, Collection: Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Brooklyn.
This photograph of the Ancient Egyptian sculpture, Statue Of A Family Group, reminds me of the statue Menkaure And His Queen. The family's identity is unknown, which I assume because of the statues vague title, but we can determine from the size of the male figure that he is the head of the household. His wife is kneeling beside his left leg and a young boy is standing beside his right leg. This type of sculpture is fascinating to me because it shows that it was very important to Ancient Egyptians to follow the traditional model of a nuclear family. There is obviously a tremendous amount of pride in one's family, and a desire to trace lineage throughout many generations. The man's left leg is placed slightly in front of the right as though he is taking a step. In my opinion this suggests that the members of the household are obligated to follow the direction of the man of the house. The fact that his wife is kneeling beside him suggests that she assumes a subservient role. Also, she is holding on to his left leg which to me suggests that she greatly depends on him for guidance and safety. Both the man and his son are wearing headdresses which are seen in many Ancient Egyptian sculptures and paintings. I believe that this shows a relationship between the hierarchy of each Egyptian family, and suggests that one day the son will be the head of his household just as his father is. The man's stance if very rigid, as is many Egyptian sculptures. His stance is not very natural which I believe shows his authority and power.
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