Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0027
Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
2ND-1ST CENTURY B.C.
4 in. (84 grams total, 10 cm including stand).
With a round face featuring large eyes, a narrow nose that broadens at the end, and full lips downturned at the corners, the forehead has a distinctive deep furrow above the brow; a narrow, twisted diadem encircling his wavy hair; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
Provenance
Private collection, Bern, Switzerland.
with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12631-236408.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Literature
Cf. Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.68, no. 3.2, for another small steatite head in the Petrie Museum (UC 49930) featuring a similar rounded face, wavy hair, and a twisted diadem, dated to the 1st century B.C.
Footnotes
The Greek hairstyle is a characteristic feature of Ptolemaic royal portraiture, as is the twisted diadem - a Greek interpretation of the Egyptian headband (the sšd) - which appears on several portrait heads of Ptolemaic boy-kings and princes. The distinctive furrow is intriguing, as it contrasts with the typically blemish-free physiognomy of most Ptolemaic royal sculpture. However, a similar furrow can be seen on the portrait head of a provincial governor from Dendera, dated to the 2nd century B.C. (Bothmer, B.V., Egyptian Sculpture of the Late Period 700 B.C. to A.D. 100, New York, 1960, pp. 144-143, pl. 112, nos. 301-302), which may indicate an artistic trend employed in high-status sculpture at that time.
It has been suggested that small royal portrait heads, such as this example, may have served as votives. The lack of an Egyptian-style back pillar on this and similar pieces supports the possibility that they were inserted into statues made of different materials (Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.12).
VETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0027
Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
Estimate £3,000 - 4,000€3,480 - 4,640 (for guidance only)$4,050 - 5,400 (for guidance only)
RELATED LOTS
-
Egyptian Black Stone Head of a Female
Middle Kingdom, late 12th Dynasty, 1862-1787 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,235
Carved in the round head with almond-shaped eyes and copious hair, detailed ears; jawline, neck and cheeks abraded. 1.1 kg, 94 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The nearly spherical shape suggests that the head was repurposed as a pounder. -
Egyptian Alabaster Kohl Pot with Later Hieroglyphs
Second Intermediate Period, 1650-1550 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Comprising a squat piriform body with a wide everted rim, a band of later hieroglyphs beneath the shoulder: ḳmꜢ.t n bꜢw ı͗wnw nfrw.s (You have gathered the souls (i.e. divine powers) of Heliopolis—her beauties). 208 grams, 55 mm high
Ex late London, UK, gentleman, 1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The inscription on what is a cosmetic vessel could be interpreted as “You acquire the powers of Heliopolis, source of her beauty”; “her beauties” likely references either the woman using the vessel or perhaps the divine beauty imparted by the contents. -
Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
2nd-1st century B.C.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
With a round face featuring large eyes, a narrow nose that broadens at the end, and full lips downturned at the corners, the forehead has a distinctive deep furrow above the brow; a narrow, twisted diadem encircling his wavy hair; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 84 grams total, 10 cm including stand
Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12631-236408. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The Greek hairstyle is a characteristic feature of Ptolemaic royal portraiture, as is the twisted diadem - a Greek interpretation of the Egyptian headband (the sšd) - which appears on several portrait heads of Ptolemaic boy-kings and princes. The distinctive furrow is intriguing, as it contrasts with the typically blemish-free physiognomy of most Ptolemaic royal sculpture. However, a similar furrow can be seen on the portrait head of a provincial governor from Dendera, dated to the 2nd century B.C. (Bothmer, B.V., Egyptian Sculpture of the Late Period 700 B.C. to A.D. 100, New York, 1960, pp. 144-143, pl. 112, nos. 301-302), which may indicate an artistic trend employed in high-status sculpture at that time. It has been suggested that small royal portrait heads, such as this example, may have served as votives. The lack of an Egyptian-style back pillar on this and similar pieces supports the possibility that they were inserted into statues made of different materials (Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.12).
