Marble Bust of Tutankhamun

This marble bust of Tutankhamun is a hand-carved portrait inspired by the famous gold funerary mask from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. It is made from travertine, white marble and inlaid black marble of museum quality. The pharaoh is shown with the traditional nemes headcloth, the ceremonial plaited beard and the uraeus cobra at the brow, the emblems of royal power and divine protection. The face is carved in white marble and deliberately idealised, as was usual in Egyptian sculpture, while the headdress and chest are built up from warm travertine and contrasting black marble, giving the piece a strong, graphic character. It is made in the Grand Tour manner: not a literal replica but a collectable object that brings together classical antiquity, nineteenth-century collecting culture and modern interior design. It works as a focal point in high-end homes, hotels, galleries and museum settings.