Post Medieval Bronze Statue of Sappho

Leaf from a vellum manuscript with hand-coloured image: Mary, right, nimbate in red floor-length robe and blue mantle holding aloft a soul in yellow kilt, its neck seized by two crouching winged dark-skinned demons; a third demon, left, with protruding tongue seizing the upper body of another soul; foreground: two male figures seated on low stools, each with vellum page in one hand and quill in the other; panels of red Coptic text above the scribes, beside their souls; the right edge damaged, left edge folded and pierced for binding. 40 grams, 29.5 x 26 cm



Collection of David Buxton (1913-2003), author of 'Travels in Ethiopia', 1949.

The image is related to the tale of Virgin Mary and the two brothers who were scribes. In this tale, Mary rescues the souls of the scribes who had committed sins whilst they were engaged in writing a copy of the Book of the Miracles of the Virgin Mary.

Illustrating scenes from the Gospel of Luke and representing the nativity of Christ; the centre shows Virgin Mary sitting on a throne, portrayed as a young girl with her head covered by a typical female cap, dressed in a long red vestis talaris, and her body wrapped in a blue cloak and baby Jesus standing on her lap, archangels Michael and Gabriel standing on each sides, armed with swords and dressed in contrasting robes, Saint Gabriel holding a bouquet of roses, another bouquet below the Virgin and a male supplicant next to her, possibly the donor of the icon, holding a red flag surmounted by a cross; the left side panel with the Annunciation to the top and the lower part depicting an angel assisting St Luke with drafting his Gospel; the right hand panel with a Nativity scene to the top and the lower part depicting the visit of Saint Mary to Saint Elizabeth; inscriptions in Ge'ez to both side panels. 4.3 kg, 59.5 x 44 cm



Acquired from Milos Simonovic, New York, USA, December 2009. Property of an important West London collector, inventory no.1168. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12037-216186.

The icon, contemporary to the Second Style of Gondar, served as model for two icons in the Institute of Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa.

Comprising two large mounted and framed assemblages displaying intertwined vines and bunches of grapes, both with a folded scroll to base inscribed with Gothic script, one reading 'Dominus Noster' (for Our Lord). 14 kg total, 79 x 56 - 79.5 x 57.5 cm



with Christie's, New York, 19 April 2018, no.169 (part). Ex central London gallery. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12090-217450.