36 - A FINE BRONZE-INLAID WOOD COFFIN LID OF A MAN WITH A BOLDLY STRIPED TRIPARTITE WIG, EGYPT, LATE PERIOD, CIRCA 664-332 BC

A FINE BRONZE-INLAID WOOD COFFIN LID OF A MAN WITH A BOLDLY STRIPED TRIPARTITE WIG, EGYPT, LATE PERIOD, CIRCA 664-332 BC Expert's note The exceptional quality of the present mask is most immediately apparent in its remarkably expressive face. The large almond-shaped eyes are set beneath emphatically modeled brows, creating an intense, almost arresting gaze, while the long nose and compact mouth are carved with a subtle asymmetry that prevents the features from appearing rigid or formulaic. Viewed from different angles, the projecting brow, nose, and lips give the face an unusually sculptural presence and a striking sense of individuality. This should not necessarily be understood as portraiture in the modern sense; rather, the sculptor has endowed the idealized image of the deceased with a distinctly human character. The effect is heightened by the striking contrast between the softly modeled face and the rigorous, almost architectural rhythm of the exceptionally large tripartite wig, whose broad lappets dominate much of the composition. Its alternating dark and ochre-yellow bands were not merely decorative, but evoked the precious materials lapis lazuli and gold, colors closely associated with the divine. The monumental scale and emphatic treatment of the wig thus reinforce the transformation of the deceased into an idealized, divine being, while providing a powerful visual frame for the remarkably individualized face. Egypt, 664-332 BC. Finely carved in wood, covered with richly painted stucco, the deceased shown with a red-brown complexion and an expressive elongated face, with almond-shaped eyes, eyelines and brows inlaid in bronze, a long straight nose, and a small, firmly closed mouth. The voluminous tripartite wig is painted in alternating dark and ochre-yellow bands, the crown with red and dark ornament. The chest is covered by a broad collar of colorful concentric registers of rosettes, petals, pendants, checkerboard patterns, and geometric motifs, with horizontal bands between the lappets. The reverse deeply hollowed. Provenance: With Kunsthandlung Faust, Cologne, Germany. The private collection of Erika Krautkrämer, Germany, acquired from the above in 1980, and thence by descent in the family. A private collection in London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above via the German art and antiquities trade. Erika Krautkrämer (1932-2022), together with her husband, Dr. Herbert Krautkrämer (d. 2003), was instrumental in the foundation of WHU: Otto Beisheim School of Management in Germany. Shortly after World War II, Dr. Herbert Krautkrämer and his brother Josef founded a company for non-destructive material testing, creating Germany’s first pulse-echo ultrasonic device—a global success that lives on in Waygate Technologies (Baker Hughes). As early as the early 1980s, Dr. Herbert Krautkrämer supported the founding of WHU – both morally and financially. Erika Krautkrämer shared her husband's convictions and continued their shared commitment with personal closeness and keen interest after his death. She assumed responsibility for the Campus Krautkrämer Foundation and, with great personal commitment, realized the student residence hall that opened in 2005. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, age cracks, losses, flaking and rubbing to the stucco and pigments, particularly along the crown and sides, restored and retouched areas in the polychromy, scattered minor chips and soiling. The reverse with later mounting fixtures. Overall with a fine, naturally grown patina to pigments. German Export License: Ausfuhrgenehmigung Nr. 14600, dated 16 February 2026, has been granted. A copy accompanies this lot. Weight: 5.3 kg Dimensions: Height 65 cm Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 4 June 2015, lot 168 Price: USD 68,750 or approx. EUR 84,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian wood coffin lid, 30th Dynasty to Ptolemaic Period, circa late 4th-late 1st century BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related anthropoid coffin-lid form, polychrome decoration over stucco, boldly striped wig, broad collar, strongly articulated eyes and facial features. Note the smaller size (57 cm). Due to length restriction on Drouot this entry is shortened. For full description please visit www.zacke.at.