Lot 6
Egypt, Old Kingdom, 5th to 6th Dynasty, ca. 2498 to 2181 BCE. A vivid testament to the daily and divine, this fragmentary limestone relief captures an offering bearer mid-stride, his hand firmly grasping the wings of a goose. Skillfully carved in shallow sunk relief, the scene once formed part of a larger tomb composition, where such figures marched in procession bringing gifts to the deceased. The man wears a short, kilted garment, its triangular pleats rendered with crisp, linear precision, and the bird is shown in profile with legs raised and wings pressed, likely a depiction of a white-fronted goose or similar species commonly represented in Egyptian art. Size: 8.9" L x 2.6" W x 6.1" H (22.6 cm x 6.6 cm x 15.5 cm)
Scenes of offering bearers were a staple of Old Kingdom tomb decoration, intended to supply the deceased with eternal provisions in the afterlife. Waterfowl, fish, and cuts of meat were common gifts, their images believed to hold magical efficacy. This stele fragment exemplifies the canon of Egyptian visual economy - no extraneous detail, just the clear gesture and form, where presence and gesture conveyed purpose.
Relief fragments of this type are often recovered from tombs in the Saqqara and Giza necropoleis. This example, with its confident linework and well-balanced proportions, speaks to the hands of a practiced artisan working within a workshop tradition that remained consistent for centuries. Though now a fragment, its clarity of form and preserved subject offer insight into the ritual and artistic priorities of Egypt's pyramid age.
Similar examples can be found at the British Museum (EA993), Musee du Louvre (E 10958 A), Cleveland Museum of Art (1930.737), and Art Institute of Chicago (1910.226).
Provenance: ex-T.F. Holy Lands collection, formed since the 1960s; ex-Paris, France collection, 1970s
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#194964
- Condition: Fragment as shown with chipping to peripheries. Professionally repaired with restoration and infill to some break lines. Some nicks and abrasions to surface, as commensurate with age. Otherwise, good remaining detail..
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