The modern American culture is fascinated by the Ancient Egyptians and their style of art. It is displayed in music videos, architecture, fashion, and so on. People love it. Part of what makes Egyptian culture so enticing is the works of art that archeologists have found over the years. Two examples of those works of art include Menkaure and His Wife and Akhenaten. Though they appear to be drastically different, they have some similarities upon further inspection. Menkaure and His Wife is thought to be from the Old Kingdom time period, which was from 2686-2181 BCE. On the other hand, Akhenaten is from the New Kingdom, specifically the Amarna time period, which happened between 1391-1353. Both of the statues were found in Egypt and they have a great many similarities considering they were created many years apart. Both of the statues depict Egyptian kings, or Pharaohs. Both pieces are sculptures in the round, meaning they are not carved into a wall; they are freestanding. Both of the kings …show more content…
The first difference is the type of stone that each sculpture is made of. Menkaure and His Wife is made from a very strong, dark stone called diorite while Akhenaten is made from sandstone, a lighter stone. The second, very apparent difference is the fact that Menkaure and His Wife is a sculpture of two people, while Akhenaten is a sculpture of one person. There are many physical differences between the two sculptures. Menkaure and His Wife is a simpler, symmetrical piece that follows the canon of proportions. Menkaure is presented as a very strong and mighty king with a loyal wife. However, Akhenaten is portrayed as a very feminine looking male, with ornate clothing and accessory choices. He does not represent the muscular and fit kings that have been present through earlier pieces of art. Akhenaten is very decorated while Menkaure is extremely