Surpassing Expectations: The Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut

Tessa Lewis

PWAD I Professor Bedarida December 1, 2011

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Hatshepsut never expected to take on one of the greatest challenges in history. Ancient

Egypt was a country abundant in natural resources and trading opportunities provided by the Nile

River, allowing the people to live unique and luxurious lifestyles. In its rich history, only true

visionaries were able to control these aspects of culture for the greater good of the people. Very

few of them were females and typically little-known, but Hatshepsut was the exception to the

rule.1 While the action of declaring herself king was highly unconventional and controversial for

the time, Hatshepsut took on the role in order to protect the wellbeing of her country. When she

died, she left behind a great testament to this profound commitment to her role as an Egyptian

pharaoh. Through its many symbols, The Statue of Kneeling Hatshepsut depicts Hatshepsut as a

female ruler who respected the elements of geography, kingship, and religion in the traditions of

Egyptian culture.

The importance of each one of these roles in Egyptian society was instilled in Hatshepsut

by her father Thutmose I, a powerful ruler who introduced a period of many construction

projects, sparking a wonderful architectural renewal in the Eighteenth Dynasty.2 In order to

maintain this successful royal bloodline, it was discovered through the collective research of art

historians Marilyn Stokstad and Michael Cothren that Hatshepsut married her half brother known

as Thutmose II, who continued to rule Egypt for fourteen years. She was then forced to cope

with his untimely death around 1473 BCE which left their young son, Thutmose III, in charge of

Upper Egypt even at such a young age.3 With the well being of the kingdom in mind, Hatshepsut

took action by dubbing herself pharaoh through the help of the local Amun priests.4 While it had

never been done before, there were no written rules against a female assuming royal titles, and

she worked hard with these priests to legitimize her rule by promoting that her birth was one of

divine proportions.5 This story, along with the fact that she was technically a co-regency with her

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son rather than a solitary ruler, helped her gain a popular reputation among her people. The act of

promoting herself proved that Hatshepsut was an intelligent ruler because she not only convinced

the masses of the legitimacy of her reign, but also because she was able to support the story with

action. Utilizing its plentiful resources was one of the first and foremost concerns with ruling the

large kingdom of Egypt, and Hatshepsut swiftly took action to control the geography that

supported these capitals.

For centuries before Hatshepsut’s rule, geography always played an important role in

Egypt’s economy and art. Egyptian’s paid careful attention to the characteristics of the materials

they worked with because the qualities of any material, whether it was papyrus, wood, or stone,

held special significance to where it was derived. This was largely because each part of the

Egyptian kingdom had its own important resources.6 The Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut first

embodies Hatshepsut’s geographical resourcefulness as a king through the symbolic and

strategic use of red granite, which had great meaning in the funerary traditions of Egypt. Upon

viewing The Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut, one may think the subtly glistening stone to be

simply pretty and beautiful to look at, though the granite used to create the body of Hatshepsut

was chosen for a much deeper reason than outward appearance. Granite is a compound stone

with extremely strong properties and was mostly used for sarcophagi and funeral structures, even

in the Early Dynastic periods of Egypt.7 Flecks of red and black are typical colors found in

granite, and together they represented a very important aspect of life in the Eighteenth Dynasty.

According to the thorough research and observations of archeologist Richard H. Wilkinson, red

was used throughout Egyptian sculpture to depict the color of blood, representing life, while

black was often associated with the Nile’s rich soil, displaying the celebration of the fertile lands

that helped produce the agriculture for Egypt’s economy.8 Granite was a material found primarily

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in Upper Egypt’s Aswan, so it made sense for Hatshepsut to chose such a substance because it

was found close to the land where she resided.9 Together, the meaning of the colors and the

granite’s original location represent Egypt’s geography and how it played an essential role in the

life of the people who lived there. By utilizing a material that was so relevant in society, The

Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut depicts Hatshepsut as a female ruler who was aware and respected

the role of geography in the traditional way of life in Egypt.

Along with an appreciation and understanding of Egypt’s geography, Hatshepsut also

respected the role of kingship itself, which is displayed through the sculpture in many different

ways. At the time of the statue’s creation, the whole of Egypt was in a period regaining strength

from the invasion of Hyksos, a ruler who caused many previous sculptural and cultural traditions

to die out 10 due to their foreign origin of Byblos, a region on the coast of Lebanon.11 The statue

standing at 8 feet and 6 inches tall, the pharaoh depicted herself in colossal proportions, making

sentiment to a lost artistic style and a strong statement about the her position as a ruler.12 Power

shown through size had been evident throughout Egypt’s history, including works like the Great

Sphinx at Khafre’s Funerary complex, which was built around 2520 BCE.13 Even pyramids like

those at Giza were built in huge proportions, standing at almost 450 feet tall.14 By cultivating a

new period of colossi arts, where kings and deities are depicted larger than life-size to emphasize

importance and authority, Hatshepsut was demonstrating her power as a king. She proved that

she was not only powerful enough to revive cultural practices, but was also able to intentionally

reconstitute the traditional and righteous way of showing respect for the leaders of the Egypt.15

Through its size alone, the Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut depicts a female ruler who had deep

respect for the role of kingship itself.

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Hatshepsut also showed her admiration for the role of kingship by depicting herself as a

male figure, the traditional gender that governed Egypt. In The Statue of Kneeling Hatshepsut,

the woman pharaoh is depicted with a false beard, which was an unmistakably male quality used

throughout history to indicate a figure’s state of kinghood.16 Along with her male adornments,

her body is also represented in a very masculine form. From the shoulders down, Hatshepsut’s

body is created with angular slopes, suggesting a bone and muscular structure that was dense and

tight, the breasts reduced to represent strong pectorals, melting into a flat stomach. The ideal

male physique. Perhaps the only element of The Kneeling Hatshepsut that suggests femininity is

in the face and eyes, which take on more naturalistic lines to create a softer look, a stylistic

element often used to illustrate the female body.17 By depicting herself primarily as male in

perfect proportions, Hatshepsut adapted herself to conform to the convention of the ideal human

body, a style created to convey the sense of dignity, power, and control that all Egyptians strived

to achieve. This canon was used across all types of art and throughout history to depict great

leaders and to emphasize their power. By diminishing her own unique characteristics, Hatshepsut

displayed an understanding that her role as a leader was not to be focused on the self, but on

creating order and value. Through its colossal size and male qualities, The Kneeling Statue of

Hatshepsut depicts her as a ruler who showed immense respect for the traditional role of

kingship in Egyptian culture.

When taking on the challenge of kingship, Hatshepsut also understood the close ties the

position had to the religious traditions Egypt. Being king meant being at the center of the

religious forces of the Gods, and it was expected that the pharaoh could balance these powers

with the rest of the living world. Also known as Maat Values, the king was expected to uphold

the “Concept of cosmic order, truth and justice, personified as a goddess, which lay at the very

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heart of Egyptian morality and religion.”18 This belief exemplified the importance of the king’s

relationship with the gods because when a human died, it was believed that their heart was

weighed against these morals of the Maat, which determined either their happiness or misery in

the afterlife. As the primary means of communication between the people and the Gods,

Hatshepsut understood she embodied an extremely important role that affected the well-being of

all Egyptian citizens.19

To represent an endless correspondence with the Gods and concern with the well-being

of her people, The Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut is first situated in a kneeling position, resting

her weight gracefully on the balls of her feet. In many cultures and many time periods, this

position is seen as a religious symbol of prayer and respect toward the deities. 20 Another symbol

of the importance of religion lies in the two round globes that she carefully clutches in each

hand. With arms rested on her thighs, the two vessels seem to have actual weight as she balances

them with each stone finger. These vases symbolized an offering of wine to the gods; a decadent

and beloved drink in the culture of Egypt. It was believed that the Gods gave the Egyptians the

gifts of the sun, the earth, and all the elements that helped them grow the food and resources they

needed to live, including wine. This gesture of giving such coveted refreshment was used to

praise and thank the Gods for the blessings they had bestowed upon the people.21 By setting her

offering in stone, Hatshepsut was demonstrating her willingness to perpetually serve the Gods

and her people. It showed that, while Hatshepsut was a powerful king, she understood that she

was still under the rule of the Gods who ultimately determined the destiny of Egypt. This type of

commitment was important to the people and rulers of the Egyptian society, as it allowed the

people to fully trust their lives in the hands of the pharaoh. This therefore allowed the Hatshepsut

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to have successful control over the people, and she was able to protect the rich traditions of the

Egyptian culture.

Becoming pharaoh was one of the greatest challenges in history that Hatshepsut never

expected to face. A country teaming with natural resources, profitable trading opportunities, and

deep cultural values, it was tradition and therefore common belief that only males were

intelligent enough for such a huge responsibility. While highly unconventional and controversial

at the time, Hatshepsut did not intend to display a feeling of disdain towards the whole of Egypt

by declaring herself as king. When she died, she was able to leave behind ideal proof to her

profound commitment to her role as an Egyptian pharaoh. Through its many symbols, The Statue

of Kneeling Hatshepsut depicts Hatshepsut as a female ruler who respected and understood the

very important elements of geography, kingship, and religion in the traditions of Egyptian

culture. She understood that it was upon these foundations that the longevity of the Egyptian

culture would be saved and The Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut “…testifies to its importance in

pharaonic culture and is indicative of Egypt’s prosperity and stability over a long period of

time…” which was undoubtedly assisted by the efforts of the female king Hatshepsut.22 In spite

of the adversity she faced, Hatshepsut faithfully followed her visions of Egypt’s future and, like

all great rulers, surpassed the expectations of all who followed her.

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Notes

1. Stokstad, Marilyn and Michael Watt Cothren. Art history. (Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice Hall/Pearson, 2005), 66.

2. Stokstad and Cothren, Art history, 67.

3. Stokstad and Cothren, Art history, 68.

4. Stokstad and Cothren, Art history, 68. 5. Wilkinson, Toby A. The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt. (New York:

Thames & Hudson, 2008), 97.

6. Wilkinson, Richard H. Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art. (London: Thames and

Hudson, 1994), 82.

7. Wilkinson, Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art, 87.

8. Wilkinson, Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art, 116.

9. Wilkinson, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt, 35.

10. Strudwick, Helen M. "Egypt, Ancient." Oxford Art Online,

http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T025075pg9 (accessed October 12,

2011), 4.

11. Wilkinson, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt, 46.

12. Stokstad and Cothren, Art history, 68.

13. Stokstad and Cothren, Art history, 58.

14. Stokstad and Cothren, Art history, 56.

15. Strudwick, Oxford Art Online, 1.

16. Wilkinson, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt, 98.

17. Strudwick, Oxford Art Online, 5.

18. Wilkinson, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt, 141-142.

19. Wilkinson, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt, 130-131.

20. Strudwick, Oxford Art Online, 1.

21. Strudwick, Oxford Art Online, 3.

22. Wilkinson, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt, 215.

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Bibliography

"Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Coagg, 2000, http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/100000735 (accessed October 12, 2011).

Stokstad, Marilyn and Michael Watt Cothren. Art history. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall/Pearson, 2005.

Strudwick, Helen M. "Egypt, Ancient."Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online,

http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T025075pg9 (accessed October 12, 2011).

Wilkinson, Richard H. Symbol & Magic in Egyptian Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Wilkinson, Toby A. The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of ancient Egypt. New York: Thames &

Hudson, 2008.

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Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut Unknown Artist ca. 1473–1458 B.C. Red Granite Height: 102 15/16 in, Width: 31 1/2 in, Depth: 53 15/16 in Photo Taken October 11, 2011

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Large Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut Unknown Artist ca. 1473–1458 B.C. Red Granite Height: 102 15/16 in, Width: 31 1/2 in, Depth: 53 15/16 in Photo Taken October 11, 2011