Gudea was the ruler of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia during the Neo-Sumerian period. His reign is dated from around 2080 to 2060 BCE. Gudea is credited for rebuilding the great temples of Lagash. He installed many statues of himself in these temples. Till date around 27 of his statues have been found and they have been numbered from A-AA. Diorite Statue I is one of the most famous among them. Know more about this masterpiece of Mesopotamian art including its discovery, description and analysis.
Table of Contents
The Key Questions
The Sumerians were not the first residents of Mesopotamia. It is not known from where they came and who they replaced. They are believed to have been permanently settled in the region by middle of 6th millennia BCE. Their civilization was the first major civilization to develop in Mesopotamia. It flourished from before 4,000 BCE to around 2,340 BCE.
Sumer is among the first complex societies to develop in the world, along with Indus Valley and Egypt. It is responsible for many firsts in the history of mankind. These include the first city-state of Uruk; the first organized religion; the first known written language, cuneiform; the first irrigation system; and the first wheeled vehicles.
S1 – Sumerian Art Overview
S2 – Discovery
Around 27 statues of Gudea have been discovered till date. Statues A-K were found during excavations of the site Girsu, now known as Tell Telloh in Iraq. These excavations were led by French archaeologist Ernest de Sarzec in late 19th century. Statues M–Q came from clandestine excavations in Telloh in 1924. The rest came from art trade and their authenticity is not confirmed.
S3 – Description
The forms of the 27 statues of Gudea vary from full standing to seated; and their sizes vary from small to colossal. All of the statues depict Gudea in the prime of his life. The shape of his body and the features depicted convey the impression of an able bodied and ideal ruler. Most of the statues are accompanied with long text and their visual properties have strong similarity to the inscriptions.
Diorite Statue I is one of the most famous among the 27 statues. It shows the priest-king of Lagash in a frontal position with his hands clasped in a gesture of devotion. He wears a woolen cap and a long woolen mantle, which falls away from the right shoulder leaving the arm exposed. His fleece kilt, which was usually worn by priest-kings, has a long inscription.
S4 – Analysis
The statues of Gudea were created during the Neo-Sumerian period of ancient Mesopotamia. While Akkadian art is characterized by dynamic naturalism, works from this period are pervaded by a sense of pious reserve and serenity. An important feature of the artwork is that its sculptor has taken care to retain the intrinsic qualities of the stone.
The details of the cap, eyebrows, eyes, mouth and fingers have been cut with sharp precision. In contrast, the face and the exposed arm have been subtly modeled. An intermediate texture may be seen in the folds of drapery, the fingers and the feet. The tense vitality of the sculpture may be compared with the artworks of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt.
S5 – Mesopotamia Art Purpose
Main Sources
S2: –
“Gudea”. Academic Kids.
S3: –
Bahrani, Zainab. (2017). “Mesopotamia – Ancient Art and Architecture”. Thames & Hudson. pp141, 143.
Gardner, Helen. (1948). “Art Through The Ages”. Third Edition. Harcourt, Brace & Company. pp87.
S4: –
“Statue of Gudea, named Gudea, the man who built the temple, may his life be long”. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Gardner, Helen. (1948). “Art Through The Ages”. Third Edition. Harcourt, Brace & Company. pp87.