Ancient Egyptian Art

[Виктор Солкин]

The forum has raised the question about the art of the East by the example of China's remarkable collection of Cyril Galleries Danelia. I want to turn to Egypt, which, again in the gallery presented a very interesting monuments. Alas, apparently, Russia will not soon come to an understanding of the value of such ancient monuments, which in the West are extremely popular. Three years ago, for example, a statue of Queen Mut Tuyi, mother of Ramses II from the collection of family Harer was sold for more than $ 2 million to start the discussion and reference to the six lots in the December auction, Sotheby's:

The Egyptian section of trades, in 2009, quite small compared to the collections presented in the last five years. However, several works deserve attention and, of course, would amount to honor the best museum collections of Egyptian antiquities. Home unexpected upcoming auctions - sometimes very bold, and sometimes not even a particularly appropriate estimate on the background of several frankly under-appreciated works of art.

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The best memorial sculpture presented in the collection - a portrait of the royal granite era Tutmosidov originating from the Austrian assembly Nicholas von Arco, the core of which was collected in 1900-1920 gg. The height of the monument, made of granite, - 18,7 cm, estimate "Sotheby's" - $ 40-60 thousand person goes back to the luschim early portraits of Thutmose III, or to very similar with them portraits of Hatshepsut. Judging by the fragments of a three-part wig, it is possible that the statue could represent a deity endowed with the portrait similarity with the king.

Sculpture of the Late time is represented in the collection of superior head of the statue of the god Osiris, dated rule Psammetichus I (XXVI dyn.). Head height 12.1 cm, was once part of an impressive statue of the god, made of greywackes (Online auction house incorrectly listed basalt); feathers of the crown 'Atef' at the head of Osiris and his beard, bear traces of gilding. Apparently, the statue was close to the best image of Osiris, the era of so-called "Saisskogo renaissance", for example, the famous statue of the god of the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The monument was published in 1960 by the prominent expert on ancient Egyptian sculpture Bernard Botmer and comes from the Belgian collection. Estimate surprisingly low - $ 15-25 thousand

A work of art is very high level - inlay of rare and highly revered in Egypt, red jasper, height of 3.9 cm, in the form of human, most likely, - the king's face. The level of execution and the rarity of the material led to estimate the house "Sotheby's, which, despite all the arguments that seem unnaturally high - $ 80-120 thousand monuments dating from the time XIX or XXII dynasty has many similarities, mostly - made of glass and has twice passed through hands of experts "Sotheby's in 1981 and 1989. On the origin of the monument "Sotheby's" tersely wrote: "European private collection.

The same absolutely nedekvatny estimate given in the case of a statue of a kneeling priest, made of copper alloy masters of contemporary XXVI dynasty. Height statues - just 14 cm, it is neither rare nor some distinctive level of artistic performance. The only interesting aspect of the monument - the hands of the priest, who, unlike the usual posture for Egyptian adoration, rotated his fingers to his face. Hans Wolfgang Muller, who studied the monument, has suggested that the statue, the former was originally part of a large sculptural group, where the priest was kneeling before the god Thoth ibises, depicts a blinded the priest, praying Toth about healing through the ancient, well-known since the time of the pyramids spells, composed of ten sayings, which he counts on his fingers (Hans-Wolfgang Müller, Eine ungewöhnliche Metallfigur eines blinden ägyptischen Priesters //Sitzungsberichte. Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philo.-hist. Klasse., 1989, Heft 5, pp. 5-33, figs . 1, 2, 4-11).

The lower part of the limestone statue of a woman (height 42 cm) is very good, despite the loss of the upper half of the monument. The inscription, perfectly preserved in the reference column indicates that this image Tager priestesses of the temple in the ancient city Saheb (modern Zat al-Kom), located on the south-west of the Delta. The statue, depicting a contemporary of the first Ptolemies, repeatedly published; estimate - $ 25-35 thousand

Judging from the data from the island of Elephantine is the last monument of interest in these auctions - the statue of the deified queen Arsine II of Dynasty Potlemeev. The monument is relatively small (32 x 32 cm), but quite good and, alas, is a vivid example of the sake of a portrait of Queen was disfigured temple wall. Origin of relief - a collection of Oscar Carbon of a sudden for the ancient Egyptian monuments of Buenos Aires. Estimate "a Sotheby's" is not particularly large - $ 20-30 thousand

All photos - © sothebys.com

An interesting program "Collection" channel "Mansion" on the Egyptian things in the Gallery Cyril Danelia - as a continuation razmysheny, but on the native soil ...

[fross]

Thank you very much, and what are the sales results were? And as the crisis has affected this segment of the market?

[LCR]

Dear Solkin, many thanks for your story.

In conservative investment for the art of ancient Egypt, I think, is one of the most interesting.

As for the art of China, in addition to konervativnogo investment in light of recent events there appeared again, in my opinion, the opportunity to buy a million lottery ticket

I wanted to ask you: what about counterfeiting?
The forum has already been raised - very briefly - the question of Chinese sculpture, it seems that fraud is extremely numerous and iskustny.
Ancient Egyptian replica, should be also frequent (some of them managed to get the prestige and the patina of time, is not it? Because their production began in the XIX century ).

But the main thing - do not be silent, tell me more detail on these markets!

[Виктор Солкин]

Сообщение от LCR

I wanted to ask you: what about counterfeiting?

Thank you for your kind words. Henceforth, try to get out here more often, as work let

Egyptian forgery not as numerous as the Chinese. I, of course, mean a good fake, and not the tourist consumer goods. Almost never get good fake stone - plastic Egyptian art does not give falsifiers that even in very high quality of their "work" or allow a significant rigidity of forms, or confused about the style attribute, or do not know how to work with the surface - and that the Egyptians knew perfectly. On errors in the hieroglyphic texts say nothing. As a result, fake stone is always very well visible. Especially - limestone. However, for forgery, because of the strength of granite or diorite, often taking his name. Exceptions are rare, still exists. Here is a prime example - with the famous granite statue of Senusret III, which was sold in 1998, a Parisian gallery, accompanied by expert Elizabeth Delange, then had preserved in the Louvre, a sculpture of the Middle Kingdom (the same age). Ms. Delange excellent specialist, and this is a rare, interesting case where even after the sale of the monument, marred by a negative assessment of the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, or rather - Vildunga Dietrich, director of a prominent art critic and once again, a specialist on the Middle Kingdom, was appointed as the new material science expertise, which showed the presence in the rock surface traces of steel abrasive. In 2003, we wrote about the "steel Senusret" on our site, with the view of Jean Yoyotta detail. I place here are two not very high-quality photo of this monument, is extremely rare. This is a true masterpiece of forgery (in fact, apparently, distinguishes it from known authentic portraits of Senusret III only very small distance from the line of the upper lip to his nose and a certain narrowness of the face), severely compromised the Louvre.

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Another significant and very thin fake. Unfortunately, it was only known to date, a statue of Queen Tetisheri, preserved in the British Museum (EA22558). She was recognized as a fake in 1984, after studies Vivian Davis, and even exhibited at a special exhibition of the best imitations of Egyptian art. The monument that is widely known. Questions to the statue emerged from behind the strange-shaped headdress "neret. Text, interestingly, was executed almost perfectly, taking into account the peculiarities of epigraphy beginning of the XVIII dynasty.

Not so long ago in the U.S. through the University of Rhode Island tried to legalize another "king's portrait, this time -" Tutankhamen ", limestone, sorry, totally old style and primitive. Again, we wrote about it, and I gave a special comment about it.

A rare case, with authors caught counterfeiting - a sensational case of the "Bolton Princess - Princess amarnskoy sculpture made of white alabaster, which suddenly appeared in the UK was in 2003 acquired Bolton regional museum for 440 thousand British pounds. It was false, that quickly established the British Museum. Manufacturers - father and son - quickly found. It turned out that they have established extensive production, however, dealt mainly forgery of works of art of Mesopotamia. The British Museum has long been suspected them of creating a number of scandalous forgeries. Bolton's problem was that they acquired a monument, not sent to a consultation with an experienced expert, and agreeing with the opinion of the custodian of the local museum with a very meager collection. Apparently, very much like to get a collection amarnsky masterpiece (his photo - a massive princess in profile, noticeably copied from the famous Torso of Nefertiti from the Louvre, is attached).

With all the bronze and easier and harder at the same time. Her most frequently counterfeited. That is why the whole bronze usually done immediately materialovedcheskyaa examination. On the other hand, patina poddelschiki make a rough, tough, lengthy, trying to hide its coarseness work. Almost never forge bronze inlaid with other metals, which had been circulated in Egypt, but very difficult to manufacture. It is not tailored to the so-called "black bronze", replacing its usual in cases where the reasons for the ritual can only special material. The market the false Egyptian bronzes, old style and primitive and the ridiculous - the sea.

It is more difficult with FANS and glass. It is now pouring in Egypt, mostly on the matrix with real objects. But poddelschikov severe problems with a layer of glazed porcelain and with the most weight. Weight yellowish, not white; icing fluid, in violation of colors taken from the matrix items are not reported, "hard", angular. I will not mention that are written as "hieroglyphic" texts on these things. Realizing that quality can not be glazed, recently began to do things with "damaged" icing, washing her almost white hot. But here, basically, very serious mistakes in coloring. What - will not speak

With glass, by the way, is connected one of the most famous forgeries of Egyptian art - the blue "head of Tutankhamun", which again caught the Louvre. Monument to a famous, very beautiful, went down in a lot of catalogs, appeared on the cover of the classic Sorbonne "History of Ancient Egypt" N. Grimalya, despite the apparent inconsistencies in the headdress. After a terrible scandal in 2002, he quietly disappeared from the exhibition and was "forgotten". In fact, it is the fruit of hysteria, the Louvre, which in 40-70 years. XX century with incredible speed buy amarnskie monuments, trying to quickly sformirovaat new hall on the "fashionable" topic around Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. By the way, has also been proved a forgery with the help of material science expertise, and there also was found in steel ...

Almost never fake papyrus, cloth (very difficult and probably not worth it). Tree false is not very much, but it happens much more frequently than papyrus. Separate topic - clay. Ceramic fakes, like pottery, in Egypt a lot. Most recently, in the Brooklyn Museum opened an exhibition of the imitation of the Coptic museum's collection. They are many. Been acquired were once in a great hurry, the whole collection. Problematical purchase to find out when a few years ago, the curator of the Egyptian collection of Brooklyn was Edna Rassmann, great art, kuotoraya not afraid to expose forgeries. Details of the exhibition at the museum site large number of "Coptic" fakes because there is no "high style" art of the pharaohs which is very difficult counterfeited.

This is a kind of overview of the most egregious cases. Here is a review of these cases and general impressions on the issue. probably would be correct if will be some questions on the topic. I will try to the best of its ability, to answer them.

[Виктор Солкин]

Сообщение от fross

Thank you very much, and what are the sales results were? And as the crisis has affected this market segment?

Results for those sites that I mentioned:
1. Head era Tutmosidov - $ 272.500
2. The head of Osiris - $ 56,250
3. Inlay person - $ 158.500
4. Statuette of a priest - $ 164.500
5. Fragment statue ladies - $ 50,000
6. Queen Arsinoe - not sold

In general, this segment of the market crisis is not particularly affected. Segment rare, very beautiful, intelligent, energetic and very popular in Europe and especially in the United States. I do not always look at the results of bidding, because for me, as Egyptologists and experts, the main interest is themselves monuments. If you are interested, then I make occasional announcements of the most, in my opinion, interesting Egyptian lots from the auction the auctioneer. There are three well-known and top the lot, for the year 2005. Some links:

"Sotheby's, November 2008
"Sotheby's, June 2008"
sarcophagus and mummy Neshonsu. Christie, December 2006
"Christy, November 2006"
"Christie, December 2005, top Egyptian Trade - Statue Kanefera (pictured) for $ 2 816 000"
"Christy", December 2005, a collection of family Harer and the statue of Queen Mut Tuyi (pictured) for $ 2 256 000
"Sotheby's, June 2005, the head of Amenhotep III (pictured) for $ 482 500

Official statistics of the house Sotheby's (New York) in Egypt:

[Евгений]

Сообщение от Victor Solkin

If you are interested, then I make occasional announcements of the most, in my opinion, interesting Egyptian lots from the auction the auctioneer.

It is interesting to many, many thanks for your comments.

[Konstantin]

Viktor Solkin,'ll show about the sale of products of ancient Egypt from the solid rock of stone: granite, calcite. And as they (the Egyptians) did, especially hollow vases.

[Виктор Солкин]

To begin, I would not call particularly calcite solid rock of stone. Moreover, the variety of stone can not be a determining factor in the area of interest to the monument, unless this is not a precious stone, in the case of Egypt - is excluded. Decisive here are the artistic level, age /ancient, rare iconography or special provenance of the monument. Naturally, a sculptural piece of granite there will be a substantial priority to, for example, granite vessel. Specific examples you can look for links to reviews of auctions, which I cited above.

Concerning the question "how they did it, apparently arising in line with the abundance of" technological "charlatans around the modern native Egyptology and around the heritage of ancient Egypt as a whole: it is not a question format forum. I would recommend you an excellent modern edition, in which you interesting aspect of processing, technology and manufacturing vessels examined in most detail worthy authors: Shaw I., Nicholson P. Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology. Cambridge, 2009 - 2 nd Edition

[Виктор Солкин]

Upcoming in June auction of antiquities at the "Sotheby's in New York quite impress with their Egyptian section, in fact, are the monuments are not the first magnitude, and selecting them for part of the review, I proceed from the principle of better to have something than nothing . Apparently, a similar principle guided and auction house. Particularly amusing is against this background it seems that as the most important monument of Egyptian art at the tender declared "amarnsky talatat", allegedly depicting Queen Kiya, even the authenticity of which, not to mention the quality of execution, is of great skepticism. Incidentally, the dating of Egyptian monuments in these trades - generally a big problem, they are either inaccurate or their scope is very broad in cases where much more precise date of creation works well, you can specify.

Of interest. One of the two lots of really interesting - it is a bronze head of a goddess (for some reason the directory is called "Isis", although that attribution is no reason) that was once the pommel stern sacred portable boat of the goddess. On these boats a cult statues of deities committed how - "vossiyanie", leaving the Holy of Holies in the temple profane the world during the holiday. The height of the monument - 14 centimeters, lost piece in the form of cow horns and solar disc between them, which was once installed on the root modius crowning a tripartite wig. Also lost Urey on the forehead of the goddess and its inlaid eyes and eyebrows. Perhaps drawing dress Nereta - wings of the sacred vulture, which covers a wig, as was once encrusted with other metals. Despite the lost inlay, or the goddess is very lively, interesting and different simulated perfectly preserved. The dating period of the reign XXVI-XXX Dynasties seems preferable. The statue was purchased in Rome in 1950, estimeyt - $ 10-15 thousand

From Karnak, apparently, is part of the framing of the doorway, made of sandstone. It was once part of the entrance to the sanctuary of Osiris-Wow, founded by the king Taharqa. On the lintel kept three images: Isis facing Osiris, the king Taharqa, bringing victims of Osiris and Nephthys, and, finally, Ra-Horahte and man, leading Taharqa to Osiris. The height of the monument - 43,2 cm, width - 96,5 cm monument, interesting both from epigraphic point of view, and from religious studies, comes from Australian private collections, his estimeyt - $ 10-15 thousand

In one of the galleries of Brussels in 1967, was purchased by a sculptural portrait of the king XXX Dynasty, most likely, Nektanebus I, which is now exhibited at the "Sotheby's". At the king wearing a headscarf Nemesia, height of the monument - 24,8 cm, it is made of gray granite. Estimeyt - $ 50-80 thousand

At the auction are two statues of Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, one of them - better made, the second - almost completely preserved. Dwell on the second - anthropomorphic, zapelenutoe deity in the high corona liver, with a broad necklace useh, stands on a pedestal, decorated with signs of power YAG and signs of eternal life Anh. The height of the statue - 74,9 cm, dated monument Ptolemaic times. His estimeyt to "Sotheby's" - $ 10-15 thousand

Board XXII-XXVI dynasty dates back to a small bronze figurine of a sacred cat, height 13,3 cm figurine is hollow, since it serves as reliquaries to hold parts of the mummy of the sacred animal. Judging from the surviving traces of gilding, it was a very revered sacred animal, a considerable wealth donator, who could afford such a gift. The monument, originally from the collection of German poet and playwright Alexander Drea (1890-1965) is in urgent need of restoration and, in general, has very good proportions, despite the corrosion of the silhouette of an animal referred to master perfectly. Estimeyt - $ 5-8 thousand

The second lot of trades that are really interesting - a miniature stele depicting Horus-baby crocodile. Above the choir - the traditional head Besa protecting the divine infant in swamps Ah-Bit. On the reverse side of the stele, made of greenish serpentine, - a short hieroglyphic text to the security mantra. The height of the stele - 5,8 cm, it dates from the XXX dynasty and comes from the famous Cairo Collection Maurice Nahman, sold after the death of the owner in 1953. Monument perfectly executed, especially considering its tiny size and, like all the so-called "Zippy Choir" was used for the consecration of water, or simply as an amulet for protection from any evil. Estimeyt - $ 5-8 thousand

Finally, completing this brief review, will focus more on the mask anthropomorphic sarcophagus is quite usual, made from wood and painted, but just very beautiful. The monument, originally from an old German collection dates from Dynasty XXII; tripartite black wig deceased painted ocher: transferred strand of hair and a flower water lily - a symbol of rebirth - from which there fruit Persia - a tree dedicated to the cult of Ra. Perfectly modeled face, narrow eyes, let down a clear cosmetic lines traced by the level of his performance the best examples of the late New Kingdom, but still different from them. The person who died is colored in green, associated with Osiris and eternal life. The height of the monument - 40,6 cm, estimeyt - $ 7-10 thousand

(C) Victor Solkin
(C) photo - sothebys.com

[Виктор Солкин]

This mask, which has become due to the controversial history of its appearance in art-space one of the most famous monuments of ancient Egyptian art, was found in 1951, Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Zakaria Ghoneim at Saqqara in the study of incomplete pyramidal complex King III dynasty Sehemheta. The area of the archaeologists have discovered many more recent graves.

"The most interesting was the burial tomb of a noble woman named Kainefernefer, which means" Beautiful Double Ka "- wrote Ghoneim. - Her body was not embalmed, but simply wrapped in a mat of palm leaves. The head and shoulders covered realistic painted and gilded mask covered with plaster cloth and cardboard. She was also a necklace of glass beads, simulating semiprecious stones, amulets of green feldspar and glass in front of her were, and figurines - alabaster, wood and steatitovye ... "Mask dated to the time of the Board XIX dynasty and the specifics of the burial, the mat and talked about that the deceased may have been Libyan.

Mask remarkably good its realism, proportions and amounts. Face ladies are gilded with copper content in gold and metal oxide gives it a reddish hue. Extended inlaid glass eyes summed imitations of cosmetic lines. Lips mask covered with red-yellow pigment, which was once the foundation for more intensive gilding. Massive wig with a remarkably made from a thick layer of resin with double strands of hair framing the face, decorated with a bandage, which dangles encrusted glass flower water lily from which the visible fruit of the tree of Persia - the symbol of rebirth and the Sun God.

Shoulders ladies covered a broad necklace, from the visible chest, decorated with floral ornaments and hanging between flower water lily. Under the chest shows the volume pectoral in the form of boat of Osiris, where the front of the deity to be very Kainefernefer. In the hands of masks - traditional symbols of Osiris and Isis Jed - 'tet', together symbolizing the sacrament of the posthumous transformation of the deceased. At the top of the mask are damaged, which, however, do not distort the overall look of the monument and not diminish its artistic value.

Museum of St. Louis bought the mask Kainefernefer - chief masterpiece of its Egyptian collection - in 1998 in Geneva Gallery "Phoenix", owned by famous art dealer, brothers Abutaam. It soon became clear that the monument left Egypt illegally, along with some other works of art disappeared during robbery archaeological storage at Saqqara in 1980. Since then, the mask that turned first in Belgium, and then - in Switzerland, had several owners. At present the Museum of St. Louis refused to meet the insistence of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Egypt and return the mask to his homeland.

On the complex history of the mask, which came illegally to the European antique market and which requires the return of Egypt