Nefertiti was an inspiration for innovative art forms and had an outsized impact on Akhenaten’s religious revolution that established monotheism for the first time ever in human history. Her beauty inspired widespread admiration worldwide for this queenly figure.
Archaeologists have long been intrigued by the mystery surrounding her life and death, yet in 1912 a bust of her was found which shed some light on what was known of her image.
1. Her Beauty
Archaeologists and history enthusiasts have long been intrigued by Queen Nefertiti of ancient Kemet Egypt. Some historians even believe she ruled as sole pharaoh after Akhenaten died; her striking bust, discovered again in 1912 in Egypt’s New Kingdom desert region, quickly became one of its most iconic images from antiquity; today it stands in Berlin’s Neues Museum as an iconic reminder of female beauty that endures over time and references by some of history’s most revered women.
What made Nefertiti such an influential force? Although her exact lineage remains unknown, her marriage to Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten brought about a religious and cultural revolution across Egypt. Nefertiti’s position as both power broker and royal beauty made an invaluable contribution towards shaping this movement.
Her beauty was an iconic representation of the New Kingdom and religion alike, serving to legitimize its shift away from polytheistic worship of various deities toward monotheism and worship of Aten, the sun god. Depictions of her often featured feminine attributes like lush lips and long features while masculine features like wide hips, rounded shoulders, and protruding bellies; creating an ideal of unity and harmony that represented both her husband and herself as individuals.
Nefertiti’s beauty also helped form a modern image of femininity that still influences our perceptions of attractiveness today. Many characteristics now considered desirable – long faces and noses, wide hips, full lips and long bodies – first began becoming popularized in Egyptian art during her reign.
Though there has been widespread belief that Germany’s Neues Museum’s bust of Nefertiti has only one eye, Zorn maintains that it probably features two eyes with one being simply an insert for testing purposes. Either way, whoever created this iconic image did an outstanding job of depicting her as attractive yet refined.
2. Her Power
Before her husband’s death, Nefertiti enjoyed unprecedented power as his co-regent and “queen of all queens.” Some scholars even believed she matched up in status with King Tutankhamun himself; yet upon disappearance from historical records around Year 12 of Akhenaten’s reign along with defacement of her monuments there was speculation she may have been killed or otherwise removed from royal life.
Thutmose’s bust of Nefertiti solidified her as one of the world’s most alluring and iconic figures, her symmetrical features and poised posture evoking power with elegance. When this work was discovered early in the 20th century, it made an impactful statement about classical canons that had defined male and female beauty for millennia, while opening up new trends such as photorealism.
Nefertiti’s visage became the face of her husband’s religious program centered on Aten. Representations of her was placed in every temple, on coregency stelae and ushabti fragments as an embodiment of its message that Aten provided light, fertility and life to earth’s inhabitants.
Nefertiti was also used as an embodiment of her husband’s religious reforms and served as a bridge between Egyptian tradition and his monotheistic cult. This dramatic alteration to Egypt’s religion caused significant upheaval, dismantling numerous traditions such as polytheism, temples, and priesthood; during such an uncertain era, powerful figures such as Nefertiti were naturally used as models to represent this new ideal of worship.
Queen Nefertiti continues to inspire artists worldwide. Contemporary German, American and Egyptian artists explore her image – captivating both her contemporaries as well as millions of museum visitors today – through adaptations, homages and reconfigurations that challenge notions of ancient artwork as fixed icons, while reclaiming her power and influence as an iconic figure.
3. Her Legacy
Once discovered in 1912, Nefertiti’s bust garnered worldwide acclaim and scholars began researching her deeper. Her timeless beauty continues to intrigue scholars as well as enthusiasts today; her role in religious reform still holds great relevance today.
At a time when men dominated political power, for this queen to assert her authority and win over the hearts of her people was no small achievement. Furthermore, this feat was accomplished while also raising six daughters herself: an impressive testament to both her incredible leadership and motherly qualities.
Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, the first Egyptian King to introduce monotheism and move away from polytheistic gods in religious practice. Her position on monuments and other artistic mediums was more prominent than most Egyptian queens of her time – making Nefertiti an influential figure at court.
Historians believe Akhenaten’s rise to power owes more to societal shifts of her time rather than any direct rule by herself as sovereign. Under Akhenaten, state religion centered around Aten (sun god), necessitating greater participation by members of his royal family – in particular from king and queen themselves.
Although little is known about her background, her name translates as “A Beautiful Woman Has Come,” suggesting she could have come from abroad. This theory was supported by reports that suggested she may have been born to a courtier from Mitanni – now part of modern day Syria – who brought his daughter as his bride.
Though theories surrounding Nefertiti’s parentage remain prevalent, her popularity and links to Amarna period suggests she occupied a much more complex status than previous Egyptian queens. Her beauty and role as part of a revolutionary movement continue to resonate with millennials and beyond, which is evident by brands using her image for represent femininity and power. Nefertiti’s ability to easily enter public consciousness serves as an inspiration for modern female leaders such as Rihanna or Iman who embody both physical traits as well as personality traits found within her predecessor’s iconic predecessor’s footsteps.
4. Her Influence
As soon as archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt brought Nefertiti back to Berlin in 1924, it set off a Nefertiti craze, turning her into an iconic symbol and turning magazine covers into advertisements featuring Nefertiti’s image. Her appearance appeared everywhere from magazine covers and advertorials for cosmetics and perfume to jewellery ads–even beer, coffee and cigarettes! Nefertiti was especially powerful during a time when fashion trends revived traditional motifs from antiquity; Art Deco borrowed heavily from ancient Egypt while women wore jewelled scarab brooches in modern attire.
Nefertiti is one of the world’s most iconic figures, yet historians remain perplexed as to her personality. There may have been tall or short variations within her, whether she was generous or distant, yet there is no written account from those living during her time that can provide more insight. All we know of Nefertiti comes from reliefs and inscriptions found around Egypt’s temples and tombs.
Nefertiti is known to have played an influential role during Akhenaten’s brief reign, especially during his last years when he began turning away from ancient religious practices to worshipping Aten (sun god). While its unclear whether Nefertiti assisted Akhenaten in changing national scripture or simply supported his policy decisions during this period of transition. She certainly played an instrumental role in it all.
After the death of her husband, Nefertiti moved either to Amarna or Thebes for burial. While early Egyptologists speculated she outlived him by taking on the name Smenkhkare and ruling as female Pharaoh until giving it over to Tutankhamen as steppharaoh, this theory has long since been disproven.
Today, Nefertiti remains an icon for contemporary audiences; artists around the world continue to adapt her image for contemporary audiences. Detroit-born, New York-based artist LaKela Brown epitomizes this trend; her 2018 composition titled Composition of Doorknocker Earrings with Pharaoh Heads and Nefertiti Recesses connects hallmarks of African-American material culture with an ancient Egyptian queen’s image recasting her as a potency symbol for African diaspora identity.
More recently, Egyptian artists have begun pushing back against Western claims regarding Nefertiti, and are reclaiming her as an icon of national identity. Hossam Dirar’s oil paintings depict Nefertiti with legs and wings to depict her as both modern and ancient Egyptian monarch. By mixing off-the-shoulder tops and sweetheart dresses with ankh necklaces into his paintings, his images reframe ancient queenhood for contemporary globalists.
