EGYPTIAN GRAND TOUR STONE BURIAL FIGURE, 18TH CENTURY

Hand curved and polished stone. About 3 ½” height, apparently representing Amenhotep II (1391-1356BC). See Davis Art for a very similar example in quartzite in the Cleveland Museum of Fine Art. The face finely sculpted with narrow nose, in a round wig. Details crisp with some staining from age and handling. These were sold as genuine, to wealthy tourists in the 18th century. The Grand Tour was an extended trip for wealthy young, primarily British, men considered a part of their education and a rite of passage. European countries, especially Italy were visited, often with further travel to the Holy Land and Egypt.