Loading, please wait...
LOT 0054
Romano-Egyptian Painted Portrait on Linen
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
22 7/8 x 24 3/4 in. (4.3 kg, 58 x 63 cm including frame).
Encaustic painting on thin linen fabric, upper part of the funeral shroud with half-length representation of the deceased, representing the bust of a young man in the guise of mummiform Osiris holding implements of his divinity, black hair, wearing a gilt broad collar (maniakion) and netting, pink dress ornamented with rosettes, traces of halo in white pigment; set in a glazed frame.
ProvenanceCollection of the estate of Patti Cadby Birch (1923-2007), New York, USA.
with Sotheby’s, New York, Antiquities, 5 June 2008, sale no.8452, no.105.
European private collection, acquired thereafter.
Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00014603.
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.12612-234638.
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.
Cf. parallels in Parlasca, K., Mumienporträts und verwandte Danmäler, Wiesbaden, 1966, pls.13,1 and 2; Parlasca, K., Frenz, H.G., Ritratti di Mummie, Repertorio d’arte dell’Egitto Greco-Romano, Roma, 2003, pl.N, no.693: no.771, p.172.
FootnotesFayum portraits, painted on wood or linen, applied to the mummies of the Graeco-Roman period, are one of the most wonderful legacies that the koiné of the Graeco-Roman world has left us. Due to the favourable climate enhancing the state of preservation, these encaustic paintings have left us an almost photographic testimony of the faces of the inhabitants of Roman Egypt. The realistic portrait shows here the idea of the deceased as Osiris. This idea, already existing in the Ptolemaic Period regardless of the gender of the person represented, continued to exist in the Graeco-Roman period. The deceased is undoubtedly a young man, beardless, with black and slightly frizzy hair. A similar male portrait with the same type of clothing, the attributes: nimbus and the identifying elements of Osiris can be found in a portrait now in Paris (Parlasca, 2003, no.771, pl.172,3).
Patti Cadby Birch (1923-2007) was a prominent American philanthropist and collector, known for her significant contributions to the arts. A patron of institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, she supported numerous exhibitions and acquisitions, particularly in the fields of antiquities and Islamic art. Works from her esteemed collection have been widely exhibited and are held in several major museum collections.
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0054
Romano-Egyptian Painted Portrait on Linen
Estimate £30,000 - 40,000€34,800 - 46,400 (for guidance only)$40,500 - 54,000 (for guidance only)
-
Large Egyptian Bronze Oxyrhynchus Fish of Per-Medjed with Hieroglyphic Inscription
Late-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,500
Modelled in the round on a sledge attached by ventral and pectoral fins, a forked tail, a dorsal ridge, and a tapering nose, featuring recessed circular eyes filled with enamel, a horned sun disc headdress fronted by a uraeus, and a suspension loop behind; a few hieroglyphs of a dedication remain visible on the underside of the sledge, which may be interpreted as ‘….the great give life (to)…’ (…t wr rdi͗ Ꜥnḫ t….); presumably, 'the great' followed the name of a deity, now lost. 585 grams, 17 cm
Acquired from Gallery Reiner, Paris, France, 1981. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.150583 dated 29 November 2013. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12375-226676. 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.
The Medjed, a type of elephant-snout fish (Mormyrus kannume), was revered in ancient Egyptian religion, particularly in Per-Medjed, better known by its Greek name, Oxyrhynchus Polis. This version of the name, meaning "city of the sharp-nosed," reflects the fish's distinctive appearance as depicted in Egyptian art. These fish were believed to have consumed the penis of Osiris, the god who was dismembered and scattered by his brother Seth. As sacred creatures, figurines of the Medjed were often adorned with a horned sun-disc headdress worn by the goddesses Hathor and Isis, suggesting a close association with both. Some figurines, like this example, featured suspension loops, allowing them to be worn as pendant amulets. -
Egyptian Gold Uraeus Amulet
Late New Kingdom, 1279-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Depicting a rearing hooded cobra with curled body, small loop above and below. 1.1 grams, 17 mm
From an early 20th century French collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Limestone Floral Inlay Group
Roman Period, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £104
Group of cylindrical and discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. 48.8 grams total, 12-20 mm
From a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Flowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces.
