Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Statuette of a Nude Woman
Middle Kingdom
Not on view
This object is not part of The Met collection. It was in the Museum for a special exhibition and has been returned to the lender.
Nude female figurines carved in ivory are rare, as this precious, symbolic material was generally reserved for depictions of the king’s entourage or family. The base, now broken, was probably set into a pedestal that was perhaps inscribed with the name of the deceased woman. It is also possible that the statuette was placed near the mummy of a male owner to evoke the symbolic "feminine principle" necessary for rebirth.
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