Portrait of an Ideal Ptolemaic Queen

Abstract

Royal portraiture has always been about far more than simply achieving a likeness of the subject. Portraiture of the Ptolemaic queens of Egypt was regularly used as a political tool to further Ptolemaic interests by presenting an idealized image of the queen. Queens sometimes co-ruled alongside their husbands and were often presented as sharing in the king’s royal power, so it was essential for the queen to be depicted as a good wife and a capable ruler. Important characteristics for a Ptolemaic queen included divinity, beauty, fertility, and nobility. As the Ptolemaic dynasty joined together Egyptian and Greek cultures, the rulers had to legitimize their rule over Egypt while also retaining their essential Greekness. Therefore, Ptolemaic portraiture frequently combines Egyptian and Greek art styles.