Mixed Pendant Group

Written in Maghribi script with polychrome vocals and diacritics, red border framing the text; mounted in a reveal and a glazed wooden frame. 456 grams, 27.5 x 22.5 cm

Fine condition.

From Morocco, North Africa. Acquired on the UK art market, 1980s-1990s. The Woodbridge collection of Indo-Persian art.

Originally produced as part of a now disbound Qur'an produced in North Africa, likely in a provincial town. The origins of the script in which it is written date back to 7th century Kairouan, when the Kufic script developed in the East and the Maghribi script in North Africa, today used predominantly in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

The upper body of a young female figure, likely the goddess Venus, shrouded in a palla mantle worn over the robe and draped over the head as a hood; the left arm bent to form folds and gatherings in the cloth, the right arm shown beneath the cloth held bent to the right breast; after the antique. 133 kg, 84 cm high



French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12090-213905.

In Roman mythology, Venus was the goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility. Married to the god Vulcan, Venus' principal divine lover was Mars, with whom she was famously trapped in bed with a net by Vulcan. The goddess also had numerous mortal lovers - Adonis for example. The earliest known appearance of a temple dedicated to Venus was founded on the Aventine Hill in 295 B.C. She is most closely associated with the month of April, the beginning of the season of spring.

Terracotta kyathos with tall looped handle and knop thumbpad, painted motifs including a seated bearded male holding a flask flanked by two dancing girls, looped tendrils and concentric rings representing eyes. 235 grams, 18.5 cm



From the late Alison Barker collection, 1970-1990.