The intended purpose of the statues of Memi and Sabu and Gudea differ based on their respective cultures and historical contexts.
The statues of Memi and Sabu were created during the Old Kingdom period in ancient Egypt. Their statues depicted pharaohs, such as Khafre, and were crafted with a high level of naturalism and detail to serve as symbols of power and piety. They were intended to represent the pharaoh’s divinity and make a connection between the divine and earthly realms, as well as commemorate their reign (The King’s Acquaintances Memi and Sabu | Old Kingdom | the Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d.).
On the other hand, the statues of Gudea were created during the Neo-Sumerian period in ancient Sumer. Gudea was a ruler who constructed temples and other significant buildings in his city-state of Lagash. Gudea’s sculptures were intended to represent himself or the gods and convey religious concepts and ideas. They were designed to
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They were primarily created to function as religious celebrants, representing the king or gods of the Sumerian city-state of Lagash. The statues were placed inside temples as part of religious rites and ceremonies meant for the worship of the gods. They were thought to be capable of establishing a connection between the gods and their subjects and played a crucial role in Sumerian religious practices (Statue of Gudea, Named “Gudea, the Man Who Built the Temple, May His Life Be Long” | Neo-Sumerian | Neo-Sumerian | the Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d.).
Therefore, while both types of statues were important in their respective cultures, they served different functions. The Statue of Memi and Sabu functioned as a representation of the pharaoh’s power and religious status. Gudea’s statues functioned as a religious object, used in religious practices and ceremonies for the worship of the gods.
The other ways in which their sculptures differed