Although the portrait does not show a realistic depiction of Wadj-shemsi-su himself, the Egyptians instead identified him with the glyphs located on the back of the lid and focused on creating a idealistic image that symbolized the power of the kingdom. The lid served the function of protecting the mummified corpse of the king, but the portrait itself served the function of symbolizing the wealth of the kingdom through the figure's powerful face, strong bone structure and painted ornamentation.