Stela of Userhat and His Wife Nefertari

This fragment of a stela was found in the temple of Montuhotep II at Deir el Bahri, but you can tell from a glance that it must date to a much later period than that – the two figures, of Userhat and his wife Nefertari, show the influences of the Amarna art style.

And the textual evidence backs this up – the text that remains on the stela includes mention that Userhat is a priest in the mortuary cults of both Amenhotep III and Tutankhamun. The names of the kings are not in cartouches, but inside squares representing the temple enclosure.

I love the elegance of this piece and all the delicate details in the depictions of the two people. You can clearly see the difference in texture between Nefertari’s hair and the band she wears across her forehead. Their fine quality linen clothing is also particularly well done.