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LOT 0494
Egyptian Bronze Statue of Isis with Inscribed Base
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
8 5/8 in. (875 grams, 22.1 cm including stand).
Seated figure of the goddess, wearing a vulture headdress from which the bird’s head projects, topped by a crown consisting of a low modius of rearing cobras, surmounted by cow horns and a central sun disk; a tight-fitting three-quarter-length dress; shown suckling the naked infant Horus, with a uraeus at his brow; the goddess’s feet rest on a plinth, of which two sides are inscribed with a dedication, only partially preserved: (May) Isis give life (to) Wennenefer [......] Ankh-hor-(en)-sa (Ꜣst rdı͗ Ꜥnḫ wn n nfr [……] ꜥnḫ ḥr (n) sꜢ (?)). [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the estate of Alexander Dobkin (1908-1975), New York, USA, acquired prior to 1975.
Thence by descent to his daughter, Katherine Dobkin, New York, USA.
Cf. Daressy, G., Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire N° 38001-39384 Statues de divinités, Cairo, 1906, p. 332 (CG39323), pl. LXII, for a similar example.
FootnotesIsis, one of the principal goddesses of the Egyptian pantheon, was revered as divine mother, protector of kingship, and mistress of magic. As the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, she embodied maternal care, resurrection, and cosmic order, playing a central role in myths of death and renewal. Isis lactans statuettes emphasise this intimate maternal relationship and its protective and regenerative power; such bronzes were widely dedicated in temples and domestic shrines as votive objects invoking divine protection, healing, and royal legitimacy.
The lacuna in the inscription on this example most likely supplied the filiation between the two named individuals.
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Egyptian Gold Plaque with Winged Goddess
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Foil figure of a kneeling goddess with outstretched wings; wearing a tripartite wig with a headband, a multi-strand collar, and a tight robe with diamond detailing; mounted in a display frame. 1.57 grams, 62 mm
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Several winged goddesses appear in Egyptian iconography. Without a headdress, the deity's identity here remains uncertain, but Isis, Nephthys, or Nut are likely candidates. All three are often shown in avian form as protectresses of the dead.