Butchering Scenes
- Culture
- Ancient Egyptian
- Period
- Late Period, 664–332 BCE
- Date
- 680–650 BCE
- Material
- Limestone
- excavated in
- Luxor, Qina governorate, Egypt, Africa
- Classification
- Sculpture, stone & mineral
- Collection
- Ancient Art
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- overall, both sections, framed: 66 7/8 x 16 in. (169.8 x 40.6 cm)
first section, framed: 15 3/4 x 22 1/4 in. (40 x 56.5 cm)
first section, actual: 15 1/8 x 21 3/16 in. (38.4 x 53.8 cm) - Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 1:1958.1
NOTES
Mentuemhat was Prince or “mayor” of Thebes, a prophet of the god Amun, and governor of Upper Egypt. A hugely important political figure, he lived through the Assyrian invasion, their sack of his city, and the return to power of a new Egyptian dynasty. The reliefs that decorated his enormous tomb imitate many different artistic styles and suggest that Mentuemhat had more than a passing interest in art. These butchering scenes emulate an Old Kingdom style that had been popular when Egypt was powerful and building her eternal pyramids.
The grisly butchering is rendered in crisp detail, but the elegant curvilinear forms yield no hint of the unpleasant reality of the task. While some butchers are carving up bound cattle with distended and swollen tongues, others carry off hearts and entrails in large bowls. One butcher draws a sharpening stone from his belt and uses it on his machete-like knife. All of the elements of the scenes read as clearly as the hieroglyphs above, which inform us that these are the choicest bits of meat being prepared for Mentuemhat.
Provenance
c.1891
Excavated from a tomb in the Asasif Valley near Deir-el-Bahri, Egypt [1]
by 1957 - 1958
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mallon, New York, NY, USA [2]
1958 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mallon [3]
Notes:
[1] It seems the reliefs (1:1958.1, 1:1958.2) were uncovered sometime between 1885, when archeologist Auguste Eisenlohr cleared out part of the chamber from which they were taken and 1891 when Vincent Scheil published a precise description and illustration of the reliefs [Leclant, Jean. "Montouemhat: quatrième prophète d'Amon, prince de la ville." Cairo: Imprimerie de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale, 1961, p. 175-176; Scheil, Vincent. "Le tombeau de Montou-m-hat." In "Tombeaux thébains de Mai, des Graveurs, Ratéserkasenb, Pari, Djanni, Apoui, Montou-m-hat, Aba," 613-23, pls.1-2. Paris: n.p., 1891].
[2] A letter from John D. Cooney dated January 9, 1957 indicates that the reliefs were in the possession of the Mallons when Cooney examined them a few days before he wrote letter [SLAM document files].
[3] The bill of sale, dated March 5, 1958, lists Mrs. M. Mallon as the seller. A handwritten invoice, dated January 15, 1958 confirms that Mrs. M. Mallon and Mrs. Paul Mallon are the same person [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control and the Advisory Committee of the City Art Museum, January 9, 1958.
Excavated from a tomb in the Asasif Valley near Deir-el-Bahri, Egypt [1]
by 1957 - 1958
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mallon, New York, NY, USA [2]
1958 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mallon [3]
Notes:
[1] It seems the reliefs (1:1958.1, 1:1958.2) were uncovered sometime between 1885, when archeologist Auguste Eisenlohr cleared out part of the chamber from which they were taken and 1891 when Vincent Scheil published a precise description and illustration of the reliefs [Leclant, Jean. "Montouemhat: quatrième prophète d'Amon, prince de la ville." Cairo: Imprimerie de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale, 1961, p. 175-176; Scheil, Vincent. "Le tombeau de Montou-m-hat." In "Tombeaux thébains de Mai, des Graveurs, Ratéserkasenb, Pari, Djanni, Apoui, Montou-m-hat, Aba," 613-23, pls.1-2. Paris: n.p., 1891].
[2] A letter from John D. Cooney dated January 9, 1957 indicates that the reliefs were in the possession of the Mallons when Cooney examined them a few days before he wrote letter [SLAM document files].
[3] The bill of sale, dated March 5, 1958, lists Mrs. M. Mallon as the seller. A handwritten invoice, dated January 15, 1958 confirms that Mrs. M. Mallon and Mrs. Paul Mallon are the same person [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control and the Advisory Committee of the City Art Museum, January 9, 1958.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.