Egyptian Black Stone Heart Amulet

Proof etching on laid paper of plate 26 from Vol .II of Description de l'Égypte : ou, Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française. entitled Thèbes. Memnonium. Vue du tombeau d'Osymandyas et d'une partie de la chaîne Libyque, prise du nord-est. 227 grams, 104 x 69.5 cm



From the collection of a North American priest. Acquired between 1981-1996. Property of a North American collector.

Produced between February 1802 and 1830 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte; published between 1809 and 1828. Just 1,000 copies were distributed to various institutions, printed on laid paper with an 'Égypte ancienne et moderne' watermark. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor). The "Memnonium" was the Greek name for the mortuary temple of Ramesses II, known today as the Ramesseum.

Devotional figurine of Harpokrates seated with his hand raised to his mouth, wearing a nemes headdress with curled side lock, topped by an elaborate hem-hem crown characteristic of the god. 59 grams, 10.7 cm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

Harpokrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian name Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpokrates was believed to offer the same protection that Isis granted to her beloved son. Larger bronze statuettes like this example were likely votive offerings to Harpokrates to secure his favour and protection.

Comprising: a decorative tunic stripe (clavus) in purple wool over coarse linen, S-twist tapestry, divided in three sections embroidered with geometric ornaments, borders meander decorated; an orbiculus in white and black wool, S-twist tapestry, embroidered with stylised animals; fragment of fabric in red, yellow, blue and green wool, with vegetal patterns; fragments of a segmentum, in white and black wool, S-twist tapestry, embroidered with stylised figures. 42 grams total including package, 8.5-22.5 cm



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

Among the many fragments of wool tunics, several long strips that match to form nearly full-length central pectoral clavi can be found. They are patterned with a profusion of small figures or interlaced abstract designs, birds, plants and animals with a contrasting border filled with geometric motifs.