Wall relief depicting a dignitary with polio. Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III and co-regency of Amenhotep IV, c. 1417–1352 B.C.

Wall relief depicting a dignitary with polio. Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III and co-reign of Amenhotep IV, c. 1417–1352 B.C.
Limestone.
Condition: generally good. It has some superficial scratches typical of its archaeological age.
Provenance: private collection of Max-Pol Fouchet, France. Gifted by the Egyptian authorities in gratitude for his work on Nubia. The reverse bears the inscription “No. 8791/10 No. 61.” Acquired from his heirs.
Attached is a study on the age of the piece by Egyptologist and architect Fernando Estrada Laza, author of *Los Obreros de la Muerte* and *Entender y Amar el Arte Egipcio*, and advisor on projects related to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.
Measurements: 23 cm long; 19 cm high.

Important fragment of an Egyptian wall relief in limestone, dating to the 18th Dynasty, one of the periods of greatest artistic splendor in the New Kingdom. The scene depicts a seated male figure in profile, with a shaved head, a bare torso, and his hands resting on a bent leg. The delicacy of the lines, the purity of the profile, and the economy of means reflect the refinement characteristic of Egyptian art from the Amarna or Proto-Amarna period.

The piece is particularly unique due to the possible depiction of a physical condition, traditionally interpreted as polio or a motor sequela. The bodily asymmetry suggests an interpretation that is uncommon in Egyptian art, where the official image tended to idealize the body. This particular feature makes the relief a testimony of great historical, medical, and iconographic interest.

The proposed chronological context, between the reign of Amenhotep III and the co-regency of Amenhotep IV, is particularly relevant. This was a time of aesthetic transition in which Egyptian art began to introduce greater naturalism, intimacy, and attention to individualized features. In this sense, the depiction of a dignitary with a possible physical disability aligns with a sensibility more open to the observation of the body and the human condition.

The provenance of the Max-Pol Fouchet collection adds significant documentary value. A writer, art critic, journalist, and great connoisseur of the Mediterranean world, Fouchet had ties to Egypt and Nubia, and the piece was likely presented to him by Egyptian authorities in recognition of his work on the region. The inscription preserved on the reverse and the accompanying study by Fernando Estrada Laza reinforce the work’s historical significance and traceability.

Due to its chronology, provenance, specialized study, and iconographic uniqueness, this relief is a piece of remarkable importance within the field of Egyptian art collecting.