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_900x900.jpg "Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx")
_200x200.jpg "Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx")
_900x900.jpg "Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx")
_200x200.jpg "Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx")
.jpg "Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx")
.jpg "Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx")
LOT 0038
Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx
LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
9 in. (1.1 kg total, 23 cm high including stand).
Standing falcon-headed deity with eyes inlaid in gold, wearing the traditional shendyt kilt, a tripartite wig topped by the double crown (pa-sekhemty) fronted by a uraeus, as worn by Egyptian pharaohs, and a wesekh collar; the figure depicted striding forward, with the position of the left arm and drilled hand indicating that it originally held the shaft of a sceptre or a weapon; the right hand also drilled to hold an attribute; the rectangular base featuring a low-relief depiction of an oryx beneath the god’s feet, the four sides of the base bear a line of hieroglyphic invocation giving the name of the deity represented by the statuette and those of the dedicator and his family; two tenons on underside for attachment; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
Provenancewith Sakae Art Gallery, Nagoya, Japan, 1981.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Alberto Pollastrini.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13161-248074.
Small is Beautiful: The Art of Sculpture; Christie's, South Kensington, 6-20 October 2015, no.24.
LiteratureFor comparison, see an Egyptian bronze Horus of Hebenu standing atop a bound oryx from the Recanati Collection, Christie’s, New York, 26 January 2023, no.20; further parallels in New York (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 45.2.11), Baltimore (Walters Art Museum, 54.1013), and Cairo (CG 60359) are discussed by Hill, M., 'Small Divine Statuettes Outfitting Religion,' in Masson-Bergoff, A. (ed.), Statues in Context: Production, Meaning and (Re)-uses, Leuven, 2019, pp.35-49; Daressy, G., Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire N° 38001-39384 Statues de divinités, Cairo, 1906, p.161 (no.38618), pl. XXXIV, for a similar example.
FootnotesThe hieroglyphic inscription surrounding the base is worn and difficult to interpret. Based on the formulas preserved on similar statuettes, a tentative interpretation of its meaning can be proposed. The text begins with the customary formula ḏd mdw, meaning “words to be spoken,” followed by the hieroglyph of a falcon, indicating that the deity addressed is Horus. The following signs are unclear, making it hard to identify which specific form of Horus is meant, possibly Horus of Hebenu or Horus the Elder. The formula continues with a plea for the god to grant the dedicator life, prosperity, health, longevity, and a good old age. The inscription ends with the name of the offerer: “Pa-iu, son of Pa-di-Aset; his mother Ta-heret; and his wife Aset, justified.”
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0038
Egyptian Bronze Figure of Horus Standing on an Oryx
Estimate £20,000 - 30,000€23,200 - 34,800 (for guidance only)$27,000 - 40,500 (for guidance only)
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Egyptian Faience Amulet Representing Taweret
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Modelled in the round on a rectangular base and with a dorsal pillar pierced at the shoulder, the goddess is depicted in hippopotamus form with human arms. 10.3 grams, 52 mm
Private collection, Carouge, Switzerland, assembled in the 1980s-1990s. Thence by descent to the collection of Mr S.P., since 2020. -
Phoenician Glass Bead Collection
6th-3rd century B.C. or laterEstimate: £900 - 1,200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £475
Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks. -
Large Egyptian Carnelian Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,925
Naturalistically modelled, featuring detailed head and elytra, with suspension loop on the underside. 3.98 grams, 22 mm
Collection of a lady, circa 1940. Ex Mayfair gallery, London, UK. Ex an important Wiltshire, UK, collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13158-249420.
The scarab amulet was arguably the most ubiquitous symbol in ancient Egypt, representing rebirth, transformation, and protection. Modelled after the scarab beetle, which was associated with the sun god Khepri - believed to roll the sun across the sky - the amulet illustrated the cycle of life and regeneration. Scarabs were commonly placed with the deceased as funerary amulets to ensure safe passage into the afterlife. They also served as seals and personal charms, often inscribed with prayers, names, or protective formulas. Widely used from the early Middle Kingdom (c. 2050 BCE) onwards, scarab amulets reflect both spiritual beliefs and everyday practices in ancient Egyptian life.
