11 - AN INSCRIBED LIMESTONE FIGURE OF A NOBLEMAN, MIDDLE KINGDOM

AN INSCRIBED LIMESTONE FIGURE OF A NOBLEMAN, MIDDLE KINGDOM Egypt, circa 2055-1650 BC. Carved seated upright on a rectangular seat with a low back, the figure resting both hands flat upon the thighs, the fingers indicated by incised lines, and the parallel feet supported on an integral projecting plinth. The face with elongated, almond-shaped eyes beneath arched brows, extended cosmetic lines, a prominent nose, and full lips, framed by a long, smooth wig falling behind the shoulders and in two lappets over the chest, leaving the ears exposed. A broad collar encircles the neck, while a close-fitting garment extends to the ankles. The back supported by a narrow dorsal pillar. The polished stone mottled in shades of dark brown, black, and ochre, with scattered lighter inclusions. Inscriptions: Three vertical columns of incised hieroglyphic signs occupy each side of the seat, with a further column extending down the dorsal pillar. Among the recognizable forms are the ankh sign, corresponding to the Egyptian ʿnḫ, “life” or “to live,” and an eye sign corresponding to Gardiner D4. Provenance: Collection of Martin Kerner, Kirchdorf, Switzerland, before 2000. Koller, Zurich, Auction 100. Michael Voglsinger, Zurich, acquired from the above, according to a provenance letter from Michael Voglsinger. A copy of this provenance letter accompanies the present lot. A European private collection, acquired from the above. Martin Kerner (d. 2008) was a Swiss researcher, author, and collector with wide-ranging interests in early material culture, ritual objects, ancient systems of measurement, and archaeoastronomy. A noted specialist in Indonesian keris, he published 'Keris-Griffe aus dem malayischen Archipel' with the Museum Rietberg, Zurich, in 1996, alongside studies on prehistoric measuring systems and astronomy. Michael Voglsinger is a Zurich-based antiques dealer and collector whose interests include Asian art, antiquities, clocks, walking sticks, and, above all, historic arms. A lifelong collector, he later turned his passion into a profession, developing particular expertise in Oriental weapons, especially rare Mughal and Ottoman examples with jade hilts, while building an extensive network of dealers and private collectors through fairs and the international antiques trade. Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, signs of weathering, traces of burial, nibbling to edges, light nicks. The stone with a rich, naturally grown, smooth patina. Weight: 170 g Dimensions: Height 9 cm The name of this nobleman is unknown, but his long garment and prominent ears convey his elevated status. The exposed ears evoke the ability to hear petitions, presenting the sitter as an attentive figure of authority. Egyptian funerary statues provided an enduring physical presence for the person represented and could serve as a dwelling for the ka, the vital force sustained through offerings and ritual. Within a tomb complex, a statue might occupy the offering chapel or a protected chamber adjoining it, while the accessible chapel remained a place where the living could commemorate the deceased. Food offerings and prayers renewed this relationship beyond death. The image and its inscriptions worked together to preserve identity and perpetuate remembrance. The present figure’s formal seated posture and extensively inscribed seat invite consideration within this tradition. Literature comparison: Compare a related black serpentine figure of Kha-em-Waset, 8.6 cm high, dated to the reign of Amenhotep III, ca. 1370-1360 BC, in the Walters Art Museum, accession number 22.68. Compare a related earlier serpentinite figure of a male youth, 6.5 cm high, dated late Dynasty 12-early Dynasty 13, ca. 1850-1775 BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 22.1.78. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 5 October 2000, lot 140 Price: GBP 23,500 or approx. EUR 53,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian basalt figure of a seated nobleman, Middle Kingdom, Dynasty XII/early XIII, circa 1843-1730 BC Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of carving from a similar polished dark stone. Note the size (15 cm).