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In The State of the Nile
26th-Dynasty Sculpture of Osiris Resurrecting
Ancient Egyptian civilization maintained continuous traditions and canons of art for most of its three thousand years of existence. During that time, artists often turned to the styles and images of previous times for inspiration, while at the same time developing new ideas and innovations that made the art of their time period distinctive. One such period was the Twenty-sixth Dynasty (between the seventh and fifth centuries BC), when sculptors combined and interest in archaic forms with their own preference for dark, fine-grained stones and polished surfaces. The pharaohs of this time made their capital at the city of Sais, and the flourishing of traditional Egyptian arts during their reign was known as the “Saite Renaissance.”
The Late Period of Egyptian history was one of its most varied, beginning with the Nubian kings of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty and ending with Cleopatra’s death and the beginning of Roman rule. The Nubian pharaohs, as foreign rulers, sought legitimacy by portraying themselves in statues very similar to the sober, solemn style of Old and Middle Kingdom art. There was little movement or delicacy apparent in the work of this period; compact forms like the block statue were quite popular. There was a decline in funerary art during and after this time. and most sculptures were made for use or display in temples.
The Saite kings, like their predecessors, sought to emulate earlier styles. However, work from this time is far more elegant and delicate. Over the years, Egyptian art occasionally venture into realistic portrayals of individuals. but the Saite kings preferred the highly idealized style of the New Kingdom. They added a few distinctive touches, most notably the “Saite smile” (inspired by sculpture of and for early Eighteenth Dynasty rulers Hatshepsut and Thutmose III) which possibly influence the beatific smile of Archaic Greek sculpture dating from the same period. Most Saite sculpture was used in temples, donated by the king or a wealthy upper-class Egyptian, and bore a plea to the gods on the donor’s behalf.
One excellent example of Saite sculpture is the Twenty-sixth Dynasty statue of Osiris resurrecting, found at Horbeit and loaned to Washington, D.C.’s National Gallery of Art by the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Though atypical in some ways, it displays many traits common to Saite sculpture. The sickle-shaped smile is present, as are the smooth, polished planes of the body, and the idealized facial features. The face is calm and composed, and the eyes are slightly asymmetrical. The false beard and nemes headdress imply that the statue is meant to depict a pharaoh, who after death was supposed to either join Osiris, the god of the dead, in the afterlife, or become him, or possibly both; Egyptian religious writing were somewhat unclear on this point. Like many Egyptian sculptures, it is a composite, the body carved from gneiss attached atop the headdress are gold-and-electrum horns, a sacred sun disk, and two plumes which probably represent the goddess Maat’s “feather of truth,” used to weight the hearts of the deceased on the scales of judgment.
The body of Osiris is a simplified mummiform (standard Egyptian religious iconography), but his pose is highly unusual. Osiris is usually shown either seated on a throne or standing upright, but here he has just rolled over onto his stomach and seems to be preparing to rise. This type of “snapshot,” showing a moment in time rather than a regal pose to be maintained for all eternity, was almost never seen in Egyptian art. With the extreme exception of the Amarna period, Egyptian sculpture was not intended to show change or movement. In addition, the are no incised lines or carving on the stone other than those used to delineate the figure’s face and regal beard. Most Saite sculpture is accompanied by at least a few carved lines of text, identifying the donor and offering prayers to the gods on his behalf. A few sculptures were nearly covered in sunken-relief hieroglyphs, leaving only the faces free of writing. The statue of Osiris bears no writing at all. However, as a composite statue, it may once have fit into a base which bore the donor’s name and prayers.
The statue, like most temple art, is quite compact, and uses no more space than it needs to. The entire body and base were carved from a single rectangular block of gneiss less than two feet long and a foot high. There are no protruding elements that could be easily snapped or otherwise damaged. The horns, solar disk, and plumes were cast separately of metal and attached, preventing damage to the stone if the metal pieces were removed. This economy of space was something of a necessity for temple sculpture, which was displayed in public areas and often damaged. The Osiris statue hugs its base; thought the head is propped up on its false beard, the stone behind the beard has not been removed. Perhaps the sculptor feared that damage would have occurred if he had done so.
Much of the sculpture produce during the Twenty-sixth Dynasty shows the common preference of the time for fine-grained, dark stones such as schist, basalt, and greywacke. The Osiris statue was carved of gneiss, which gives it a rougher appearance than some Saite sculpture despite the smooth, polished planes of the mummiform body. This does not detract from its overall appearance, but distinguishes it from other sculpture of the time.
The Saite renaissance was a time of innovation and creativity in Egyptian sculpture. It glorified the Egyptian pantheon, reminded viewers of Egypt’s great and ancient history, and perhaps curried favor with the gods for the wealthy nobles who kept sculptors employed. The statue of Osiris resurrecting is a wonderful example of this time period, and will be enjoyed by countless future generations.
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