EGYPTIAN LOTUS BOWL

Ca. 2055-1650 BC. Middle Kingdom or later. A blue-painted ceramic bowl. It is made of Nile silt clay and painted with Egyptian blue on most of the exterior and interior, leaving the underside largely unpainted. It has a wide flat base, and its edges flair widely outwards to a simple rim. It is wide and shallow. The exterior is plain blue, but the interior is decorated with four black floral motifs with stems converging in the centre. The floral motif is that of lotus buds, which held important symbolism in ancient Egypt beyond its natural beauty. In several creation myths the sun god emerges from a lotus flower at the dawn of time, and so they have an association with creation and the sun. It was also believed that consuming a lotus gave strength and power, and they were even taken to the grave - remains of the flower have been found in the tomb of Ramses the Great. They were also used in ornamental gardens, perfume manufacture, garlands, and their imagery was commonly used on the capitals of columns. Depiction of plant life and flowers on the inside of blue bowls was fashionable during this time. This may have been filled with water which would have added an interesting effect to the submerged imagery of the aquatic plants. Size: L:30mm / W:125mm ; 240g. From a London private family collection; formerly acquired on the UK art market in the 1960s - 1970s; thence by descent.