Egypto-Phoenician Rock Crystal Scaraboid with Winged Sphinx

Willemin - Thèbes - Hypogées - Manuscrit sur papyrus en caractères hiéroglyphiques. Quatrième partie - Proof etching on laid paper of plate 75 from La Description de l’Égypte: Antiquités, Volume II: Commission des sciences et arts d’Égypte with later backing sheet. 360 grams, 130 x 87 cm (sheet)



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 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 papyrus manuscript was recovered from the underground chambers (hypogea). The original papyrus is now held in the Bibliothèque Nationale (1-19), Paris (Papyrus Cadet).

With repousse striations to the wing case, details of the feathers to the wings; pierced for attachment to mummy wrappings; mounted in a glass-fronted case. 4.09 grams, 18.2 cm wide total (504 grams including case)

Fine condition. Rare.

From a German gallery in the 1970s. From an important European collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12125-211120.

Sub-rectangular with keyhole-shaped aperture to the lower right edge; low-relief figure in profile wearing a tunic with circular neckline, bobbed hair swept behind the ears, sharp facial features with short goatee beard; bands of vertical fluting. 14.5 kg, 37.5 cm high



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no. 11830-207550.

The features and hairstyle of the figure resemble closely those of Asiatic captives shown on the outer wall of the temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, Egypt. It is likely that the Egyptian artists from the time of Thutmose III onwards had frequent opportunities to observe the foreigners who came, or were brought into Egypt. It is likely that the Egyptian artists were interested in differentiating the various peoples encountered by the armies on their campaigns northward during the New Kingdom. The remains of a circular aperture behind the figure probably indicates that the slab was re-used as a grindstone or a door pivot in ancient times.