This sculpture depicts Akhenaten tenderly kissing his daughter, a rare and intimate portrayal of royal family life in ancient Egypt. Dating to the 18th Dynasty, during Akhenaten’s reign (1353–1336 BC), it reflects the distinctive artistic style of the Amarna period. The piece is now preserved in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

Few rulers in Egyptian history have provoked as much debate as Akhenaten. His reign marked a time of intense social, political, and religious upheaval unlike almost any other in world history. In less than two decades on the throne, Akhenaten transformed Egyptian religion, introduced a new royal artistic style, relocated the capital to a previously unsettled site, developed new forms of architecture, and sought to erase the names and images of Egypt’s traditional gods. Because of the dramatic changes he imposed, the period of his rule—known as the Amarna Period—continues to fascinate both scholars and the public.

Since his rediscovery in modern times, historians have written extensively about this so-called “heretic king,” emphasizing his radical and individualistic nature. The Egyptologist James Henry Breasted perhaps summarized it best: “Until Ikhnaton the history of the world had been the irresistible drift of tradition. All men had been but drops of water in the great current. Ikhnaton was the first individual in history.”

Akhenaten ascended the throne in either 1353 or 1351 BCE and ruled for about 17 years during the 18th Dynasty of Egypt’s New Kingdom. He is most famous today for establishing a new religion centered on the Aten, represented as a radiant sun disk symbolizing the light of the sun itself. Born as Amenhotep IV (“Amun is satisfied”), he changed his name in his fifth regnal year to Akhenaten (“Effective for Aten”), reflecting his revolutionary theological vision. Soon afterward, he launched sweeping reforms in religion, art, and writing—changes that coincided with the jubilees of his deified father, Amenhotep III, and the worship of Aten.