Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 95. (Budapest, 2001)

VOZIL, IRÉN: Technical analysis, restoration and evaluation of material testing of the bronze statuette of Imhotep

11. Imhotep statuette (Late Period). Berlin, 12. Imhotep statuette (Saite Period ?). Paris, Louvre Staatliche Museen, Ägyptisches Museum periods, or hemmed in some other way. According to Bianchi 9 the fringe running along the body's axis of symmetry on the front of the garment extending from the breasts to the ankle is a characteristic feature of the "Saite skirt"and appears with great frequency in the Saite Period (Dynasty XXVI). On this statue the drape is wrapped from right to left below the breasts, and its final overlapping is fixed by means of a plastically formed knot. The fringed trimming running down from the knot is finely recessed, and is bordered by double stitching on the right side (fig. 10). In relation to the design of the garment, Gaboda mentions two analogies.

10 In the two Imhotep bronze statues mentioned by him (Berlin, Ägyptisches Museum Berlin, dated to the Late Period [fig. 11]; Paris, Louvre, dated to the Saite (?) Period [fig. 12]) the garments are also wrapped below the breast from right to left and the design of the trimming can also be regarded as identical to that of the statue in Budapest. As can be seen from the above considerations the seated figure of our statue has carefully elaborated details from any point of view. For this reason it is conspicuous that the back of the figure is covered by the tall back of the chair. This is unusual 9 See: Bianchi, R.S.,The striding draped male figure of Ptolemaic Egypt, in DUS ptolemäische Ägypten, Mainz am Rhein 1978, pp. 95-100. During the Ptolemaic Period, this Saite skirt was worn both by priests and private individuals. 10 See: Gaboda, op.cit., p. 23.