Irregular fragment of a low-relief frieze showing the hips and legs of two standing figures: left, torso with short kilt gathered at the waist and portions of legs below, body of a fish behind with long dorsal and ventral fins, small tail; right, torso of a figure similarly clad with right forearm and hand gripping a fishing line and upper portion of a fish attached; applied red-maroon pigment to skin areas; mounted in an old stand.

PROVENANCE:
Private collection, Europe.
with Sotheby's, London, July 1991, no.162.
Acquired by the current owner from the above.

Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12585-232180.
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. a scene of fish preparation from the tomb of Montuemhat in the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (accession no. 51.4.2), with similar depictions of the fish.

FOOTNOTES:
The crisp and detailed carving and colour palette are reminiscent of reliefs from the grand Theban tomb of Montuemhat, Mayor and Fourth Priest of Amun (circa 700-650 B.C.).