Card/Transcription No.: 266a-04

4

Surrounding the chest, free-standing, are statuettes of the
four tutelary goddesses. One guards the chest on each of its
four sides, but while they face the chest, an additional note
of realism is imparted by these statuettes, for their heads
are represented turned sideways, looking over their shoulders,
as though to watch against surprise.
These gracious little figures with outstretched protective
arms are carved of wood, overlaid with gesso, and gilded with
gold-foil. They represent the culminating power of Egyptian
art in the Eighteenth Dynasty - they are tender in feeling and
true to the idea. Including the emblems upon their heads they
stand 90 cms. in height; they wear the khat-headdress, the
bead usekh-collar, a close fitting gauffered linen short-sleeved dress which is fastened in front at the waist by a
long gauffered sash, and draped over the left shoulder is a
shawl of gauffered linen.