Egyptian Double-Sided Limestone Plaque Depicting a Falcon and a Head

A gorgeous rendition of a falcon standing to the right on a rectangular pedestal has been carved onto one side of this limestone sculptor’s model. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was the living incarnation of the sky god Horus, who was traditionally depicted as a falcon or a falcon--headed man. The intricacy of the carefully incised feathers, claws, and facial features is truly stunning. To the left of the falcon, a coiled Uraeus cobra has been depicted with an ankh dangling from its neck. The other side of this limestone plaque depicts a man facing right. The man wears a skullcap. He has a delicately rendered ear, a frontal almond--shaped eye, elegant nose, slightly smiling lips, and rounded cheeks. Is it possible that Egyptian artists sought their inspiration not from nature but from such models? Considering the stylization of Egyptian art, it is clear that there was not much room for individual interpretation.