Thèbes, Colosses de Memnon (Thebes, Colossi of Memnon)

1870s

Henri Béchard

Associated Names
Henri Béchard

Artist, French, active 1869 - late 1880s

Two colossal seated figures, known as the Colossi of Memnon, representing Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The statues are massive in size, with people standing and climbing on them, providing a sense of scale. The sculptures are made from stone and exhibit an aged, weathered surface with a light brown color. They are depicted in a traditional seated position with hands resting on the knees, facing forward. The landscape is flat and open, allowing the figures to stand prominently.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    albumen silver print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro Ph.D

  • Dimensions

    image/sheet: 26.9 × 38 cm (10 9/16 × 14 15/16 in.)
    mount: 35.2 × 46.9 cm (13 7/8 × 18 7/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2018.23.3

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Bruno Tartarin, Paris); Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro Collection, New York, 2011; gift to NGA, 2018.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

signed by artist, lower right in negative: H.Bérchard.; by artist, lower left in negative: No. 97 Thèbes. Colosses de Memnon; by unknown hand, bottom center in graphite: W5028

Wikidata ID

Q64154954

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