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Lot 5B
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Egyptian Copper Figure - Standing Osiris
Egyptian Copper Figure - Standing Osiris
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Description:

Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A striking leaded copper mummiform figure; a beautiful representation of Osiris, the god of the Underworld. Wearing a long thin postiche beard, Osiris stands mummiform with arms at his chest holding a crook and flail. He wears the Atef crown, which combines the ostrich feathers of the cult of Osiris with the Hedjet, the symbol of Upper Egypt, with the sacred uraeus cobra, depicted on its frontal area, a symbol of royal divinity. The tenon extending from his feet holds him in place atop his custom stand. This would have been a votive figure, perhaps made to be kept in a wealthy home and prayed to, deposited in a temple as an offering, or, most likely, kept for ritual with other metallic objects by priests. Size: 1.2" W x 3.4" H (3 cm x 8.6 cm); 3.8" H (9.7 cm) on included custom stand; without stand but with tenon: 3.8" H (9.7 cm)

Osiris is one of the most revered gods in Egyptian civilization and is sometimes referred to as the son of Ra, the sun god, and father of the falcon-headed god Horus. In hieroglyphs Osiris is often depicted with green skin, evocative of his role in the afterlife; or with brown skin, indicating an associated also with fertility, in this case the mud of the Nile, whose seasonal flood was the most important natural event in ancient Egypt.

Provenance: private Ferndale, Michigan, USA collection; ex-private Detroit, Michigan, USA collection, acquired prior to 2004

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#182597

  • Condition: Losses to stand, and both have heavy weathering and surface wear. Otherwise, intact with liberal remaining detail. Rich patina and encrustations to both. Removable from custom stand.

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November 30, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000