Neo-Classical Marble Bust of a Noble Lady

Mixed group of figurines in various styles and poses; after the antique. 635 grams total, 11.4-18.5 cm



Ex London art market 1990s. From a London, UK, collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Representing the Protection of the Mother of God; the icon within inside a crested kokoshnik (bochka) with triple border; the crest depicting the Trinity, with God the Father and the Son sitting and facing each other across an orb and crucifix; a dove, symbolising the Holy Spirit, hovering above the crucifix; the Trinity inscribed inside a crown of flying angels, sitting at his feet the four living creatures, the Cherubins symbolising the Evangelists: the Lion, the Angel, the Eagle and the Ox; inscription in Old Slavonic beneath the crest, the Mother of God standing slightly left, looking toward God the Son in the upper corner; clouds at her feet and around the upper left corner; thirteen Saints and four Angels above them standing around her. 281 grams, 17.1 cm



Acquired from Chris Martin-Zakheim, Iconastas, 5 Piccadilly Arcade, London SW1. From the private collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the early 2000s.

The Icon of the Protection of the Mother of God, or Pokrov (in Old Slavonic), celebrates the Virgin Mary, depicting the Mother of God in prayer, wrapped in her mantle, surrounded by angels and saints. The image is a powerful symbol of protection and a reminder of Marian intercessory prayer, centered on protecting the Christian people from adversity and danger.

Rectangular in plan, the lime green silk field with two large roundels of red silk tied by a tassel in the rococo style, signature of Sultan Mahmud II contained within a mosque lamp, ten smaller roundels of alternating cream, orange and cream silk; large central rectangular panel and two bands above incorporating inscriptions in Thuluth, tughra of the Sultan framed by swags in lower part of field, ground richly decorated with floral swags and vegetal motifs, backed. 17.8 kg, 294 x 179 cm



Acquired before 2000. Private collection, UK. with Bonhams, London, 6 October 2008, no.216 (est. £80,000 - £120,000). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12741-235157.

The inscriptions comprise: in two horizontal cartouches: Qur'an, surah al-Ahzab (XXXIII, verses 45-46) inscription contained in mosque lamp; the signature of Sultan Mahmud Il in the two large roundels: the Shahadah in the six roundels above central rectangular panel; the names of the four Orthodox Caliphs, and the Imams Hasan and Husain in the central panel; Quran, surah al-Baqarah (Il), verse 255, ayat al-Kursi in the six side panels; the names of the companions of the Prophet in the lower part; the tughra of Sultan Mahmud.