Lot 2
Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th Dynasty, ca. 664 to 525 BCE. A beautiful cast leaded-bronze statue depicting the revered deity Osiris, god of the underworld, who stands in mummiform with fused legs atop an integral, tiered plinth. Covered in layers of green and brown patina with areas of russet as well, Osiris presents wearing a wesekh broad collar beneath a postiche beard and holds his signature heka scepter and flagellum (nekhakh) in staggered hands atop his abdomen. His stylized countenance exhibits almond-shaped eyes with elongated canthi, a protruding nose above full lips, and tall ears. Capping his brow is an Atef crown, which combines the ostrich feathers of the cult of Osiris with the Hedjet, the symbol of Upper Egypt, with the sacred and divine uraeus cobra projecting from the front. 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: 1.4" W x 5.3" H (3.6 cm x 13.5 cm); 7.1" H (18 cm) on included custom stand.
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.
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession numbers 04.2.440 and 74.51.5584
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Estate of Michael Fellman, Walnut Creek, California, USA, acquired at Sotheby's (February 23, 1970, lot 130/part with copy of receipt); also with a 1990 appraisal from C.L. Wysuph and Associates featuring this Osiris
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#170400
- Condition: Small loss to tip of proper left ostrich feather as shown. Minor abrasions, nicks, and pitting, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations, otherwise excellent. Great patina throughout.
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