8 - A BRONZE FIGURE OF A FALCON-HEADED HORUS, LATE PERIOD

A BRONZE FIGURE OF A FALCON-HEADED HORUS, LATE PERIOD Egypt, c. 664-332 BC. Striding forward with the left foot advanced, the falcon-headed deity wearing a belted kilt and striated tripartite wig, crowned by the Double Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt fronted by an uraeus and a projecting coil, fulfilling his role of uniting and ruling over all of Upper and Lower Egypt, the 'Lord of the Two Lands.' The face with a small beak and neatly articulated, once parcel-gilt eyes. Provenance: The private collection of Lt Colonel Athol Rowe (1911-1986) and Mrs Jill Rowe (1934-2025), Surrey, UK, acquired in London in January 1963, and thence by descent to the last owners. A copy of the entry from Lt Colonel Rowe’s ledger, stating the date of purchase as January 1963, acquisition location ‘London’, and describing the present lot as ‘Bronze figure of God Horus, 4½”, walking, Egyptian, double crowned,’ accompanies the lot. A copy of an insurance valuation request, addressed to Christie, Manson & Woods, by Colonel Athol Rowe, dated 17 December 1971, and stating an insurance value of GBP 80, accompanies this lot. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Old wear, casting irregularities, rubbing, scattered nicks, remnants of pigment, and encrustations. Overall with a fine, naturally grown patina. The eyes were originally highlighted with gilding, which is now only partially visible due to the development of the bronze patina. Weight: 126.5 g (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 11.4 cm (excl. stand), 14 cm (incl. stand) Firmly mounted on an associated wood stand. (2) In Egyptian mythology, Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis and was depicted as a falcon-headed god of the sky. According to myth, Osiris ruled over the Egyptian pantheon until he was murdered by his jealous brother Set. Isis, grieving her dead husband set out to resurrect him by gathering his dismembered body parts that were scattered throughout the Nile River. The only piece that was missing was his phallus which had been consumed by a fish. She created a golden replacement for the organ and was able to bring the god back to life long enough for him to impregnate her. From this union came Horus, who also inherited the wrath of his uncle Seth. Horus and Seth continuously met in different battles, with Horus always beating his persistent uncle, leading to his ultimate ascendance to Osiris’ throne. Here in the present example, there is a notable feature that references the uncle-nephew battle—the finely articulated eyes, which once were distinctively parcel-gilt. According to myth, in his role as sky-god, one of Horus’ eyes represented the sun and the other the moon. While the original gilding has to some extent been obscured by the growth of the bronze patina, traces remain discernible, and the carefully worked eyes continue to stand out prominently. Such emphasis is particularly meaningful in an image of Horus, creating a striking visual connection between the sculptural treatment and their celestial and regenerative significance. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related striding bronze statuette of Horus, Late Period, 26 th-30 th Dynasty, 16.4 cm high, in the Royal Ontario Museum, object number 948.34.8. Compare a closely related striding bronze statuette of Horus, Late Period, dated 722-332 BC, 29.5 cm high, in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden, inventory number AB 163. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 3 July 2024, lot 16 Mid-Estimate: GBP 30,000 or approx. EUR 37,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian bronze Horus standing on an ibex, Late Period, 26 th Dynasty, circa 664-525 BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and similar modeling of the kilt, headdress, and facial expressions. Note the larger size (20 cm).