Lot 1D
Ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom, late 12th to early 13th Dynasty, ca. 1900 to 1700 BCE. A hard, black stone head, possibly granite, expertly carved, showing a woman with a large wig swept behind her ears, a common Egyptian style. The statue is carved fully three-dimensionally, with the shape of the hair continuing down the woman's back, implying it was meant to be seen from behind. Incised lines give texture to the shape. Comes with custom stand. Size: 3" W x 3.3" H (7.6 cm x 8.4 cm)
The role of the ancient Egyptian sculptor - a sanx - was to portray the dead in a lifelike way, for the express purpose of aiding the dead in the afterlife. By the time of the 12th Dynasty - indeed, from the Old Kingdom onward - sculptors carved not only the pharaohs, but also nobility, government officials, and their families who could afford the honor. A piece like this would have been made by a specialist in a workshop, but we have little evidence to believe that individual sculptors were revered the way they are today; instead, the person who created this piece probably saw it as a job rather than as a calling. The woman depicted may have been a noblewoman, someone at the Egyptian court - perhaps someone with great power - after all, the first known woman to be Pharaoh was Sobekneferu, who reigned from ca. 1806 to 1802 CE.
Provenance: ex-Netherlands collection J.V. collected before 1970
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#119787
- Condition: Surface wear and scratching as shown, especially to the face.
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