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Archive photograph of the previous version: painted limestone statue of a scribe seated cross-legged, a papyrus unrolled on his lap, gazing ahead.

Previous versionc. 2600 BC

The Egyptian scribe sits cross-legged, gaze fixed, holding a wooden tray on his lap: a metal grinder, a cannabis bud and a rolled joint.

Current version2026

The Seated Scribe, Musée du Louvre

Photo: Shonagon, via Wikimedia CommonsLicence CC0Image source

Acc. no. GLI.2026.013 113

The Seated Scribe

Senior official of the Old Kingdom, who remains anonymous.

At the GLiTCH Museum, Department of Contemporary Antiquities.

Painted limestone, rock crystal, unidentified dried plant matter.

Next version Painted limestone. The contents of the tray will be reproduced in resin.

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Catalogue entry

Record GLI.2026.013
Work 13 of 13

Materials depicted
Painted limestone, rock crystal, unidentified dried plant matter.
Provenance
Found in the alcove when the museum opened. Has never expressed a wish to be moved.
Condition report
Stable. Very stable.
Related work
The Seated Scribe, Saqqara, Fourth Dynasty, Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Commentary

Scribes kept the accounts, inventories and archives of ancient Egypt. Sculptors showed them seated cross-legged, papyrus unrolled across the knees, gaze attentive.

The most famous of them, discovered at Saqqara in 1850, dates from the Fourth Dynasty. His eyes, inlaid with rock crystal rimmed in copper, seem to follow the visitor around the room. Here, with a slight delay.

Previous version

The Seated Scribe, 4th Dynasty, painted limestone, Musée du Louvre. His right hand once held a reed pen, now lost.

Photo: Shonagon, via Wikimedia CommonsLicence CC0Image source

See both versions
References1 reference

Digital composition by Aël, updated with the help of artificial intelligence. Glitch: original.