The King's Acquaintances Memi and Sabu
Unknown Artist
ca. 2575–2465 B.C.
Medium
Limestone, paint
Dimensions
H. 62 × W. 24.5 × D. 16 cm, 28.8 kg (24 7/16 × 9 5/8 × 6 5/16 in., 63.4 lb.)
Classification
Statue, standing pair, Memi, Sabu
Period
Old Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.111
Tags
Art Historical Context
This limestone statue of Memi and Sab, created around 2575–2465 B.C. during Egypt’s Old Kingdom, Dynasty 4, captures a married couple identified as “King’s Acquaintances.” Standing just over two feet tall and originally painted in bright colors, the figures were carved from a single block of stone, a technique that emphasized their unity and permanence. Such pair statues were common in elite tombs, where they served as eternal homes for the spirits of the deceased. Dating to the same era as the Great Pyramids, the sculpture reflects the Old Kingdom’s emphasis on order, stability, and the afte...