The Seated Statue of Khafre with Horus, housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, is an exceptionally preserved diorite statue of Pharaoh Khafre, the fourth ruler of the Fourth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom, circa 2575-2465 BC. The statue maintains a traditional seated position indicative of authority, with the pharaoh depicted on a throne with lion detailing. His position, with a straight torso and clenched fists holding royal insignias, communicates powerful sovereignty.
In this fully rounded sculpture, Khafre's physique is idealised, presenting a vision of youthful strength. He is outfitted in standard royal attire - a striped nemes headdress with a ureaus (cobra symbol) and a stylized beard, underlining his divine affiliation. The artist carefully distinguished textures, most notably the stripes in the headdress and the form-fitting royal kilt in contrast to the smoother king's body.
An notable characteristic of the statue is the figure of Horus, the falcon god, embracing the pharaoh from the rear. Intertwined with the throne's back, Horus extends his wings around Khafre, insinuating celestial protection of the terrestrial king. Structurally, this close intertwining of the deity and pharaoh substantiates Khafre's divine authority. The accurately rendered falcon head between the symmetrical king's ears augments the sacred equilibrium of the statue.
The throne's sides are decorated with inscribed symbols of the Nine Bows and the joining of Upper and Lower Egypt, epitomizing the expansive rule and unity under the pharaoh's reign. This rich combination of visual language, including detailed engravings, smoothly contoured surfaces, and a sober and authoritative facial expression underscores the high degree of sophistication in the Old Kingdom's artistry.
