Description:

Ancient Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A mold-formed faience amulet of Nefertem, the god of perfumes and unguents, covered in light green glaze. Nefertem presents in a striding pose with his left leg forward, both arms held tightly at his sides, and wearing his signature lotus-flower headdress. A pierced suspension hole along the dorsal pillar shows how this would have been worn on a necklace. The name ‘Nefertum’ literally translates to “one who does not close,” indicative of the ever-blooming lotus flower constituting his crown. It is fitting, then, that Nefertum is primarily associated with fine-smelling perfumes and other beauty-enhancing substances, perhaps as an allegorical reference to the sweet scent emitted by a blossoming lotus flower.

Provenance: Collection of Dr. W. Benson Harer, Los Angeles, California, USA, purchased in 1975; ex-Superior Galleries, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired in 1975; ex-collection of Philip Mitry, noted antiquarian, 1930 to 1953, then imported into the United States in 1952

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#182347

  • Condition: Minor abrasions and fading to glaze pigment, with softening to some finer details, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to overall form.

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December 21, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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