Stela with Sculptor’s “Signature”
Description
Object Label: Unlike nearly every other work of ancient Egyptian art, this stela is signed by the artist. The deeply cut inscription beneath the lower register names “the sculptor Nefertem.” He was probably allowed to add his name as compensation for his work, thus perpetuating his memory for eternity. Caption: Stela with Sculptor’s “Signature”, ca. 1836–1759 B.C.E.. Limestone, 20 1/4 x 12 3/16 x 3 7/16 in., 40.5 lb. (51.5 x 31 x 8.8 cm, 18.37kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.1347E. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
AI image analysis GPT-4o-2024-08-06
Machine-generated from the object's image on May 2026. Not curatorial; treat deities, names, and signs below as the model's best reading, not authority.
An ancient stele with figures seated and hieroglyphic inscriptions.
The stele displays a detailed relief composition featuring seated figures in two registers, possibly partaking in an offering scene. The upper register shows two seated individuals facing inward, with an offering table between them. The background is filled with hieroglyphic inscriptions. The relief style is characteristic of Egyptian funerary art, with clean lines and detailed carving. A cavetto cornice is present at the top of the stele.
Cross-references (2)
- BKM-Accession 37.1347E tier-2
- BKM-Object 4139 tier-2
About this record's data
- From the source institution — accession, description, dimensions, and dating are as catalogued by Brooklyn Museum — Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art.
- AI-inferred — the image-analysis panel (deities, names, signs) is machine-generated and may be wrong.
- Approximate location — most map points are plotted at the site centroid, not the exact findspot.
- Inferred links — cross-references marked with a match method other than explicit-source-field were matched by us, not stated by the source.