6 - AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE, WOOD, AND LAPIS LAZULI FIGURE OF AN IBIS, LATE PERIOD

AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE, WOOD, AND LAPIS LAZULI FIGURE OF AN IBIS, LATE PERIOD Egypt, c. 664-332 BC. Finely modeled in a recumbent posture, the sacred ibis with a wooden body, its folded wings carefully outlined and terminating in a tail tipped with opaque blue glass paste. The separately cast bronze head is set on an elegantly curved S-shaped neck, ridged at the base, the long beak finely incised and the eyes neatly inlaid with lapis lazuli pupils. The separately cast bronze legs are similarly detailed, with incised articulation to the tarsi and toes. The underside retains four bronze tenons for attachment. Provenance: From a private collection in the Île-de-France region, France. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Manufacturing irregularities, natural fissures and age cracks to the wood—especially around the bronze mounting, remnants of gilding, and extensive wear to stuccoes and pigments—all as visible. Overall presenting superbly. Weight: 335 g (excl. stand), 629 g (incl. stand) Dimensions: Length 19 cm (excl. stand), Length 23 cm (incl. stand) With an associated fitted wood stand. (2) The ibis was sacred to the god Thoth who was the god of knowledge, time, mathematics, and writing, as well as the divine messenger identified with Hermes in the Greek period. Among his main places of worship, which included his center at Hermopolis, was the sacred site at Saqqara which received countless pilgrims who would pause at the nearby breeding lake to secure one of the millions of ibises which would later be mummified, potted and placed in the vast catacombs adjoining the temple which maintained the cult and cult-statue of the ibis-headed Thoth. Even during the 19th century no visit to Egypt was complete without a visit to the 'Tomb of the Birds' at Saqqara; see A. Leahy and J. Tait (eds.), Studies on Ancient Egypt in honour of H. S. Smith, London, 1999, pp. 209-214. Thoth, whose word created the universe, is often shown with Maat who maintained the cosmic balance of the universe. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 4 June 2015, lot 10 Price: USD 81,250 or approx. EUR 99,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian wood and bronze Ibis, Late Period to Ptolemaic Period Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling of the wooden torso and bronze head and feet with incised details. Note the similar size (18 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Paris, 20 December 2011, lot 187 Price: EUR 34,600 or approx. EUR 44,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian stuccoed wood and bronze ibis, Late period to Ptolemaic Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling of the wooden torso and bronze head and feet with incised details. Note the larger size (25 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 30 September 2015, lot 8 Price: GBP 40,000 or approx. EUR 67,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian bronze and wood ibis, Late Period - Ptolemaic Period Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling of the wooden torso and bronze head and feet with incised details. Note the larger size (33 cm).