Bek (sculptor)

Bak was Supreme during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten sculptor of the King. He was a son of the architect and sculptor Men and clothed probably, since it is occupied by several inscriptions, an important position at court. He has been involved as an architect and builder of some major construction projects in Amarna and held it the office of Superintendent of the works of the king at Red Mountain.

Documents

Its appearance is by now in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin called Naos preserved stele ( Inv. 31009 ) is known, on which he is shown with his wife Taheri. The stele is the main reason of high artistic and archaeological interest because it is one of the few surviving images of the Amarna period, showing no member of the royal family. Bak shows up on her as an earthly creator God, the same has some traditional representations of Akhenaten, both male and female body shapes. Today it is mostly assumed that Bak is also the creator of the stele, so that it is currently regarded as the most oldest surviving self-portrait.

On a relief on a rock Tele in Aswan, on which he is shown with his father, he is regarded as one whom his Majesty has himself taught. This remark refers certainly to the fact that Akhenaten is to be regarded as the spiritual father of the so-called Amarna art. Whether it also is a work Baks at this relief is controversial and can not currently prove.