Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut

The Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut is a magnificent piece of art located in the Egyptian section next to many other statues of the great pharaoh Hatshepsut. Out of all the statues of Hatshepsut, the Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut was kept in the best shape and caught a lot of attention from the people in the room. Its great size is something truly remarkable, considering it was built in the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. More importantly, this statue is the first structure in art that depicts a woman leader. Not only is it a truly unique piece of work, but also it is a piece that is revolutionary for its time. The massive size of this statue leaves one wondering if women have always been just as powerful as men, if not more. Hatshepsut is the first recorded female pharaoh in all of time. Even though she was a queen, the Egyptians still gave her a beard, which was traditional in artworks for the pharaoh. This masculine feature gives her a solid presence. Even though she might not look like a powerful pharaoh, the beard helps her followers believe that she is just as commanding as any man. She also has on the nemes headdress typical for a pharaoh to wear. Looking into the face it is visible how old this structure is. It is very rough, rigid and is kind of hard to make out the eyes. However, the lips and nose seem very realistic and gives the viewer a sense of how much time and precision went into this piece many years ago. It can be seen that the Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut was carved from a block because there is no space in between the legs and the block on the bottom. All of these incredible features that are usually linked as a part of man exemplify the queen as she felt on the inside. When looking into Hatshepsut’s face, there is no visible emotion. This was probably to make her seem serious about her reign over Egypt. Also, she is a heavy and bulky structure. The size, the beauty, and the image of the sculpture were all used a to her