Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 9.3" (23.6cm) high x 3.25" (8.3cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience Perhaps no single  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 9.3" (23.6cm) high x 3.25" (8.3cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Faience Perhaps no single object epitomizes the spirit of Ancient Egypt better than the ushabti. Shaped like a divine mummy, the ushabti evokes the magical side of the Egyptian belief in an afterlife, while the pick and hoes clutched in the hands, as well as the seed bag slung over his shoulder, recall the rural, agrarian culture of the land. The word ushabti (supplanting the older term shawabti) literally means “the answerer.” The function of these figures is described in Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead: “O this Ushabti! If (the deceased) is called upon to do hard labor in the hereafter, say thou: I am here.” The ushabti was expected to answer the call to work in place of the deceased, and this passage was frequently inscribed on the figures themselves.Originally, a single ushabti was placed in a given tomb; but by the New Kingdom, the statues had come to be regarded as servants and slaves for the deceased rather than as a substitute, and many might be found buried together, along with a larger overseer figure. In the course of Egyptian history, ushabti were created from wood, stone, metal, and faience. In the cultural renaissance of the 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period (the time when this work was produced), a green faience, the color of the Nile and evocative of the verdant landscape in springtime, was particularly popular. Along the body of this ushabti is inscribed ten rows of hieroglyphic text. Such inscriptions generally offer prayers from the deceased and reveal the ushabti’s readiness to perform labor. To look upon this ushabti is to come face to face with the mystery and magic of Egypt itself. - (X.0353)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 7.5" (19.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Stucco It is believed that some stucco works such  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 7.5" (19.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Stucco It is believed that some stucco works such as this one functioned as aids for apprentices to learn the art of sculpting before embarking upon royal commissions where one mistake could mean disaster. Similar pieces were unearthed in what are thought to have been artist workshops, thus their identification as models. Considering the stylization of Egyptian art, it is clear that there was not much room for individual interpretation. When one realizes that many sculptors would have been responsible for decorating a single tomb or temple, stylistic unity becomes a foremost concern. Today, these sculptures give us unique insight into the creative process behind some of the most endearing and enduring artworks ever created by mankind.The lion is a symbol of strength and ferocity. The largest of the cat family, this animal is known as the “king of the beasts.” They are equally feared and respected for their power, speed, and intimidating growl. Kings and rulers have associated themselves with this noble creature since the days of antiquity. However, the lack of a bushy mane on this stucco work indicates that it represents a lioness. Therefore, it is probable that this head was a sculptor’s model employed during the manufacturing of Sekhmet sculptures.Sekhmet, along with her husband the creator- god Ptah and their son Nerfertum, was part of the powerful trio of deities that protected Ancient Memphis. She was a sun goddess, embodying the scorching, burning, destructive heat of the sun. Fierce goddess of war, the destroyer of the enemies of Ra and Osiris, she was represented as having the head of a lioness and the body of a woman. Like the sun, her temper was uncontrollable. In the legend of Ra and Hathor, Sekhmet's anger became so great, she would have destroyed all of mankind if Ra had not taken pity on us and made her inebriated.Many centuries ago, a master sculptor might have corrected his apprentice by showing them such a model. A useful tool for understanding the dimensions and shape of the subject, such models would have assisted young students when natural observation was not possible. Considering the subject of this work, a lioness’ head, it is unlikely that many artists would have been keen to venture into the wild and sketch likenesses of this beast. There is a royal presence visible in the face of this lionness, suggesting that she would be a suitable model for a sculpture of the goddess Sekhmet. - (X.0354)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Bronze The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Bronze The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed by scholars at the end of the Third Intermediate Period or at the beginning of the Late Dynastic Period. In either case, the Saite Period rose from the ashes of a decentralized Egyptian state that had been ravaged by foreign occupation. Supported by the assistance of a powerful family centered in the Delta town of Sais, the Assyrians finally drove the Nubians out of Egypt. At the close of this campaign, Ashurbanipal’s kingdom was at the height of its power; however, due to civil strife back east, he was forced to withdraw his forces from Egypt. Psamtik I, a member of the family from Sais, seized this opportunity to assert his authority over the entire Nile Valley and found his own dynasty, the 26th of Egyptian history. Known as the Saite Period due to the importance of the capital city Sais, the 26th Dynasty, like many before it, sought to emulate the artistic styles of past pharaohs in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority.This magnificent bronze votive sculpture represents Osiris, god of fertility, king of the dead, and ruler of eternity. Many centuries ago, it might have been found inside a temple, placed as an offering to the mighty deity. He is depicted wrapped as a mummy, holding a crook and flail. These two attributes act as scepters symbolic of his divine authority over the forces of nature. He wears a double-plumbed atef crown, featuring a uraeus cobra slithering down the front and a pair of undulating ribbed ram’s horns emerging from the sides, and a false braided beard with a curved tip. This type of beard is a symbol of divinity while the headdress associates the god with the ruling pharaohs.The legend of Osiris states that his brother Seth, overcome by jealousy, murdered him and tore his body into fourteen parts, scattering them across Egypt. Isis, the faithful wife of Osiris, traversed the land and gathered all the parts of his body. She then cast a spell that resurrected her deceased husband for one night, during which their child, Horus, was conceived. Thus, Osiris was the central figure of Egyptian religion, the god who had triumphed over death and therefore offered the hope of rebirth and resurrection to all men. This striking image of the god in his royal mummiform speaks of a universal mystery, the unanswered questions for which no living man has a sure answer. - (X.0357)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2323 BC to 2152 BC Dimensions: 18.125" (46.0cm) high x 12" (30.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 6th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The image  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 2323 BC to 2152 BC Dimensions: 18.125" (46.0cm) high x 12" (30.5cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 6th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The image depicts an elite member of Egyptian society who was the owner of the tomb from which this forceful vignette came. The owner is represented seated on a luxurious chair, designed with a curvilinear bolster-like back, and feline feet themselves resting upon inverted conical casters decorated with a series of concentric rings. In keeping with ancient Egyptian conventions, the tomb owner is bare- chested and, presumably, bare footed. He wears a simple, undecorated linen kilt, wrapped around his waist and secured into place with a belt. His accessories are limited to a broad collar, its multiple strands symbolically representing floral forms from which such attributes were originally crafted. He wears a short, bobbed wig arranged with parallel rows of short, tightly styled curls.The tomb owner is shown facing to the left and is holding one attribute in each hand. In general, only depictions of standing tomb owners represent them holding an object in each hand; seated depictions are generally shown holding only one attribute, and that attribute is usually a staff traditionally held in the hand of the elevated far arm, as it is indeed held in our relief. Our tomb owner appears to be holding a second attribute in his lowered hand as well. This attribute may perhaps to be identified as a shorter baton. The staff and baton are standard attributes for elite male members of Egyptian society during the Old Kingdom. Although rare, there are parallels for seated tomb owners holding a baton in one hand and a staff in the other from this period.This vignette is executed in sunk relief, whereby the images are sculpted into the stone at a depth below the horizontal plane of the surface of the block. Such a technique was commonly employed for the decoration of exterior walls so that the rays of the sun would be “caught” in the depths of the sculpting, thereby enabling the relief to be seen more clearly.The consummate manner in which the details of the face are executed deserves mention, particularly since the expression is forceful and somewhat realistic in its appearance. This departure from the expected idealism of the facial features together with the unusual, and extremely interesting, appearance of an attribute in each hand of the tomb owner, suggests a dating for this uncommon depiction in Dynasty VI or somewhat later.References:Yvonne Harpur, Decoration in Egyptian Tombs of the Old Kingdom (London 1987), page 448, a depiction of Ku-en-uha, seated with his wife on a similarly designed chair. Here this seated tomb owner holds scepter in his lowered hand and a staff in his elevated hand, exactly paralleling the two attributed held in the hands of our figure.This magnificent limestone wall panel originally decorated a 6th Dynasty temple or palace structure. It is even possible that this panel once stood inside the shafts of a royal pyramid. Depicted is a dignitary seated upon a seat, holding a sekhem scepter in his left hand, an Ancient Egyptian symbol of power. While a hieroglyphic character in the form of a sekhem was often included in the names of pharaohs from the 3rd Dynasty onwards, officials in the court of the pharaoh were traditionally depicted carrying this staff. The scepter was also utilized by priest presiding over religious ceremonies. However, in this context, the staff is held in the right hand. Thus, it is likely that this seated man represents a dignitary who was a high-ranking member of the royal court. His hair is closely cropped. He wears a broad beaded collar and a short skirt. His body has been represented in a fashion characteristic of Egyptian art with profile views of the head and legs and a frontal view of the upper torso. - (X.0373)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1991 BC to 1783 BC Dimensions: 47" (119.4cm) high x 9" (22.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 12th Dynasty Medium: Limestone Sculpted in  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 1991 BC to 1783 BC Dimensions: 47" (119.4cm) high x 9" (22.9cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 12th Dynasty Medium: Limestone Sculpted in classically-designed sunken hieroglyphs, this single column of inscription, oriented to the left, contains a partial string of titles belonging to the cursus honorum of a highly placed official in pharaoh’s court. The inscription as preserved may be translated as, “.,..the oldest official of [pharaoh’s] senut-palace, the one who is over particular offerings, the one who presides over the secrets…”The exact nature of a senut-palace remains enigmatic, but was ostensibly the administrative branch of the bureaucracy in which senior officials exercised their duty and in which the owner of this inscription served as “the eldest statesman.” The owner was also in charge of special offerings, which, although not specifically enumerated, comprised both victuals and other products. And finally, this owner was charged with rituals, the practice of which were kept secret and hidden from the uninitiated. From these titles and from the style of the sculpting of the signs and their shapes, one can confidently date this panel to Dynasty XII and suggest that it once adorned the tomb of an elite official.This rectangular panel is beautiful in its own right and serves to point up some often over-looked aspects of ancient Egypt’s culture during Dynasty XII of the Middle Kingdom. It was during this period that the classics of ancient Egyptian literature, such at The Tale of Sinuhe and The Shipwrecked Sailor to name but two, were composed. These classics were used in later periods, particularly during the time of the New Kingdom, as teaching aids for learning the Egyptian language in much the same way that Caesar’s De Bello Gallico has been used for the teaching of Latin. Moreover, the style and form of the individual hieroglyphs used during Dynasty XII became models for the “penmanship” of Egyptians scribes of later periods. As a result the hieroglyphs on this panel represent examples of the very best writing from Egypt’s classical period. The signs on this panel can be admired in much the same way that connoisseurs admire Arabic written in Kufic and the calligraphic style of Oriental suibokuga. (X.0375)   « Less

Origin: Fayum, Egypt Circa: 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 14.2" (36.1cm) high x 8.2" (20.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Paint on Wood Our  More »

Origin: Fayum, Egypt Circa: 2 nd Century AD Dimensions: 14.2" (36.1cm) high x 8.2" (20.8cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: Roman Period Medium: Paint on Wood Our evocative portrait depicts an aristocratic young man with curly hair, his head inclined toward our right hand side with the glance of his enormous eyes cast far into the distance. He appears to be wearing a white tunic without additional accessories. Recent scholarship suggests that such portraits may have been displayed in the homes of the elite members of Roman Egypt’s society in much that same way that we display portraits and photographs of our loved ones and friends today. Upon death, these portraits were reverentially entrusted to the funerary priests who ceremoniously attached them over the head of the deceased’s wrapped mummy.There is a good parallel for our portrait in the collections of the British Museum [inventory number EA 6713] which is still attached to its intact mummy. That example is dated to the period between 200-250 AD, to which era our example should likewise be assigned.Our portrait was painted on a very thin panel of wood, which, when taken into consideration with its age, understandably accounts for the splits which run vertically up the picture plane. The portrait is otherwise in stable condition.References:For these so-called Faiyum portraits in general, see, M-F Aubert and R. Cortopassi, Portraits de l’Egypte romaine (Paris 1998), and pages 90-91, catalogue number 45, for the parallel in London.- (X.0380)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 15" (38.1cm) high x 25.625" (65.1cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The 26th Dynasty,  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 15" (38.1cm) high x 25.625" (65.1cm) wide Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Limestone The 26th Dynasty, also known as the Saite Period, is traditionally placed by scholars at the end of the Third Intermediate Period or at the beginning of the Late Dynastic Period. In either case, the Saite Period rose from the ashes of a decentralized Egyptian state that had been ravaged by foreign occupation. Supported by the assistance of a powerful family centered in the Delta town of Sais, the Assyrians finally drove the Nubians out of Egypt. At the close of this campaign, Ashurbanipal’s kingdom was at the height of its power; however, due to civil strife back east, he was forced to withdraw his forces from Egypt. Psammetik I, a member of the family from Sais, seized this opportunity to assert his authority over the entire Nile Valley and found his own dynasty, the 26th of Egyptian history. Known as the Saite Period due to the importance of the capital city Sais, the 26th Dynasty, like many before it, sought to emulate the artistic styles of past pharaoh in order to bolster their own claims to power and legitimize their authority.Yet despite that artist sought to replicate models of the past, Egyptian art of this era was infused with a heightened sense of naturalism. This fact is likely due to the influx of Greek culture. The Saite rulers recognized that Egypt had fallen behind the rest of the Mediterranean world in terms of military technology. Thus, they were forced to rely upon foreign mercenaries, many of whom were Greek. With ties between these two cultures firmly established during the 7th Century B.C., commercial trading quickly blossomed. Special entrepots for foreign traders were established, including the famed town of Naucratis, a Delta town in which Greek merchants were permitted access. During the Saite Period, two great powers of the Mediterranean world became intimately linked, commercially and culturally. As the exchange of ideas flowed across the sea, the Greeks began to experiment on a monumental scale while the Egyptians began to approach art with an enhanced sense of realism.This portrait is sculpted in remarkably finely- detailed sunk relief and relies upon subtle linear adjuncts for its masterful effect. The subject is an Egyptian pharaoh, facing right, represented as a bare-chest male wearing a striated nemes- headcloth and broad collar. His arms, bent at the elbows, are raised on order for his hands to present floral offerings to one or more deities who were presumably depicted in the now missing right-hand side of the scene.The face is modeled with restraint and dominated by unadorned button-hole eyes and a mouth, the lower lip of which suggests a prognathous jaw. Such individuality is rarely encountered in ancient Egyptian two- dimensional representations, but is suggested in the facial features of portraits of such pharaohs as Sheshonq III from Bubastis, now in the Cairo, and in rare representations of certain Saite pharaohs of Dynasty XXVI, such as that found in a portrait of Apries from a chapel at Abydos, now in London. The predominance of button- hole eyes and of relief finely detailed with linear adjuncts, suggests that our relief depicts a pharaoh of Dynasty XXVI. The absence of a uraeus on the front of the nemes-headdress is exceptional, particularly on such an otherwise carefully sculpted work of art, but it may have been added in paint. There are excavated parallels of royal relief from the Saite Period in which the pharaoh depicted is likewise not shown with a uraeus on his headdress. The absence of this insignia is, admittedly, rare, but that absence is, nevertheless, attested and documented.References:K. MyÅ“liwiec, Royal Portraiture of the Dynasties XXI-XXX (Mainz 1988), plate XXII, c-d, for the images of Sheshonq III in Cairo; plate LIX, c, for the portrait o Apries with a similar prognathous jaw; and plates LI, c, LVIII, and LIX, a-b, for images of various Saite pharaohs without a uraeus on their headdresses.- (X.0383)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 12.625" (32.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Sandstone Carved from sandstone, this  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC Dimensions: 12.625" (32.1cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: 26th Dynasty Medium: Sandstone Carved from sandstone, this magnificent model of a temple façade appears to rise from the desert dunes. The architecture consists of four columns mounted over a fairly large base with a lintel above. Compared to the size and complexity of some Egyptian temples, this one appears to be quite modest. It might also reflect the influx of Greek ideals as related to architecture. However, despite the similarities to Greek buildings, this temple is purely Egyptian. The lintel is decorated with a central winged solar disk flanked by two rearing uraei cobras, typical Egyptian symbols. The base features a central plaque into which a symbol has been etched three times. The symbol consists of an ankh resting in what appears to be a shallow basket flanked by two staffs. A column of pseudo-glyphs has been inscribed on either side of this central panel. As well, two of the columns have been decorated with empty cartouches. Might this temple model have once served as a soviegner for a foreign merchant to take home with him? Perhaps it was a model of a famous temple? Perhaps it was used as a building model to show the patron before construction began? This temple façade is a stunning work of art in itself, but it also symbolizes the glories of Egyptian architecture and this civilization as a whole. - (X.0385)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 332 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 12" (30.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Sandstone Following the death of Alexander the  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 332 BC to 30 BC Dimensions: 12" (30.5cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Ptolemaic Period Medium: Sandstone Following the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was divided between his three generals, each of whom set up their own kingdoms. One of them, Ptolemy, took Egypt as his share and made Alexandria his capital. Ruling as Ptolemy I Soter, he established the last dynasty to rule Egypt with the title of Pharaoh. For the next two and a half centuries, the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Greeks controlled Egypt, mingling Hellenic traditions with the mighty legacy of the Pharaohs.This stunning sandstone sculpture reveals the intermingling of native Egyptian and Greek artistic traditions. Depicting a typical cloth nemes headdress, this mask likely represents one of the Ptolemaic Kings, although it is difficult to determine which particular one. The overall forms of the work, the rigid stance of the body with the arms clenched closely to his sides, and the costumes all conform to the standards of Egyptian art that had been formed over the past three thousand years. However, the facial features bear the influence of the Hellenistic tradition that valued naturalism over idealism. Particularly, the sweetly smiling face and high cheek bones both suggest individualized features. This magnificent work reveals the artistic link between Pharaonic Egpyt and the Ptolemaic Period. - (X.0392)   « Less

Origin: Egypt Circa: 712 BC to 332 BC Dimensions: 14.125" (35.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Stone The funerary rites and rituals of  More »

Origin: Egypt Circa: 712 BC to 332 BC Dimensions: 14.125" (35.9cm) high Collection: Egyptian Style: Late Dynastic Period Medium: Stone The funerary rites and rituals of Egypt are among the most elaborate and celebrated burial traditions in the ancient world. The foremost concern was the preservation of the body, in order that it might be reborn in the afterlife. While the painstaking mummification process achieved this goal of counteracting the effects of physical decomposition, the ancient Egyptian were not satisfied with a wrapped body alone. Gorgeously decorated mummy cases and sarcophagi developed over the course of thousands of years so that the body could be properly presented to the audience of the gods awaiting the deceased’s arrival in the next world. These cases were created from a variety of materials, including stone, wood, and cartonnage, that were utilized depending upon the wealth and status of the deceased. Some of the earliest examples were relatively unadorned, featuring the general shape of the body highlighted by idealized facial details. Later, they evolved into ornate memorials that sought to recreate the specific appearance of the memorialized individual, both in terms of physical feature as well as clothing and jewelry. Polychrome paint infused the works with color and the finest examples were gilt. This gorgeous fragment comes from the front of an anthropomorphic sarcophagus lid that would have once held the body of the deceased. Here, the artist has clearly succeeded in capturing the individualized facial feature of the deceased, infusing his natural appearance with a healthy dose of idealism. His carefully defined eyes and brow are perhaps his most prominent feature. He has large ears that have been framed by a wig that crowns his head. He smiles softly, imbuing the work with a humane warmth we can easily identify with. A false beard has been attached to his square chin, an attribute typically associated with deities that became a symbol of Pharaonic power. His eyes continue to haunt us centuries later, drawing us in with their strong lines. Created during the period of time that marked the end of the Egyptian Kingdom and the beginning of the Ptolemaic Dynasty when Greek kings ruled the land, this gorgeous mask reveals that traditional Egyptian art forms continued to thrive despite the increasing influences of Hellenistic tastes. - (X.0393)   « Less