In the centre of the first gallery space is an elegant life-size sculpture representing Ramses as a half-lion, half human sphinx. The statue encapsulates his absolute power and religious devotion. Symbols of physical power, lions, then as now, were closely associated with royalty.
Ramses is carved out of honey-coloured, slightly speckled limestone and lying prone on a narrow plinth which is part of the sculpture. His body is that of a lion, smooth and glossy with his tail curled up over his right haunch. Normally the front legs of a sphinx would be those of a lion but here the head, arms and shoulders are those of Ramses. He leans on his elbows with his head held high and looking straight ahead with his hands clasping a vessel with gently convex sides and a ram’s head stopper.
The front of the vessel has a rectangle with hieroglyphics carved onto it. Ramses is offering a vessel of holy water to Amun Re, the king of the gods. The rams-head stopper faces forwards and Ramses looks serenely over the top of it. Ramses wears a wig which ends just above his shoulders but there is a small vertical incision above his forehead and his nose is partly broken. That said, his expression is quietly confident.
He wears a finely pleated top over his chest and shoulders and the remains of a collar around his neck. The downlight in the Museum catches the smooth curves of carved granite and makes the sphinx gleam.