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LOT 0014A

Greek Cycladic Marble Figure Spedos Type, ex-Christie's

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Ancient Greece, Cyclades, Early Spedos, ca. 2600 to 2500 BCE. Finely carved from marble, a reclining female figure with her arms crossed, typical of the sculpture of the Cyclades in the mid-2000s BCE known as the Spedos variety, this name derived from an Early Cycladic cemetery on the island of Naxos. This canonical type is characterized by an elongated slender body with folded arms, a lyre- or U-shaped head, and a deeply incised cleft between the legs. The anatomical details are characteristically minimized presenting an abstract, geometric quality. Incisions on the body delineate the arms crossed over the chest, and define the abdomen, pubic triangle, and spine. The breasts are gently rendered as well. On the face, the low relief nose is pronounced, and it is possible that other details originally may have been delineated with brightly colored pigments. When viewed from the side, the back is straight and continues the line of the neck, while the head is dramatically arched and the legs flex forward. Size: 7.25" H (18.4 cm); 9.625" H (24.4 cm) on included custom stand.

This piece sold for GBP 62,500 ($82,512.62) at Christie's London - Sale 12239 - 6 July 2016, Lot 37.

According to the Christie's Lot Essay, "It has been suggested that the grooves at the neck and upper right thigh of the present lot may be the result of deliberate damage in antiquity. Some Cycladic figures have been discovered in graves purposefully broken, at the neck and at the knees, with the three parts of the figure then carefully arranged. This sort of damage most likely had a ritual context, though its precise meaning is still unknown. Thimme has suggested that Cycladic female figures 'were conceived as images of divine beings and specifically intended for the grave: the female figures represent a divine mistress of life and death, who will secure for the deceased rebirth in another world' - it is not apparent what benefits would be reaped by deliberately damaging a figure imbued with such potent power (O. Höckmann, 'Cycladic Religion', in J. Thimme (ed.), Art and Culture of the Cyclades, Chicago, 1977, p. 42)."

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Christie's, London Antiquities auction (sale 12239, July 6, 2016, lot 37); ex-private United Kingdom collection, acquired from K.J. Hewett, London in the 1960s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#156105
Condition Report: Old chips to neck, left arm, right shoulder, right hip and knee as shown. Lower legs missing. Head reattached at the neck. This said, scholars believe that such figures were purposefully broken during antiquity. (See discussion of this in Christies lot essay mentioned in our description.) Normal surface abrasions. Nice earthen/mineral deposits that have developed over the ages.

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USA, Louisville, CO
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[ translate ]

Ancient Greece, Cyclades, Early Spedos, ca. 2600 to 2500 BCE. Finely carved from marble, a reclining female figure with her arms crossed, typical of the sculpture of the Cyclades in the mid-2000s BCE known as the Spedos variety, this name derived from an Early Cycladic cemetery on the island of Naxos. This canonical type is characterized by an elongated slender body with folded arms, a lyre- or U-shaped head, and a deeply incised cleft between the legs. The anatomical details are characteristically minimized presenting an abstract, geometric quality. Incisions on the body delineate the arms crossed over the chest, and define the abdomen, pubic triangle, and spine. The breasts are gently rendered as well. On the face, the low relief nose is pronounced, and it is possible that other details originally may have been delineated with brightly colored pigments. When viewed from the side, the back is straight and continues the line of the neck, while the head is dramatically arched and the legs flex forward. Size: 7.25" H (18.4 cm); 9.625" H (24.4 cm) on included custom stand.

This piece sold for GBP 62,500 ($82,512.62) at Christie's London - Sale 12239 - 6 July 2016, Lot 37.

According to the Christie's Lot Essay, "It has been suggested that the grooves at the neck and upper right thigh of the present lot may be the result of deliberate damage in antiquity. Some Cycladic figures have been discovered in graves purposefully broken, at the neck and at the knees, with the three parts of the figure then carefully arranged. This sort of damage most likely had a ritual context, though its precise meaning is still unknown. Thimme has suggested that Cycladic female figures 'were conceived as images of divine beings and specifically intended for the grave: the female figures represent a divine mistress of life and death, who will secure for the deceased rebirth in another world' - it is not apparent what benefits would be reaped by deliberately damaging a figure imbued with such potent power (O. Höckmann, 'Cycladic Religion', in J. Thimme (ed.), Art and Culture of the Cyclades, Chicago, 1977, p. 42)."

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Christie's, London Antiquities auction (sale 12239, July 6, 2016, lot 37); ex-private United Kingdom collection, acquired from K.J. Hewett, London in the 1960s

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#156105
Condition Report: Old chips to neck, left arm, right shoulder, right hip and knee as shown. Lower legs missing. Head reattached at the neck. This said, scholars believe that such figures were purposefully broken during antiquity. (See discussion of this in Christies lot essay mentioned in our description.) Normal surface abrasions. Nice earthen/mineral deposits that have developed over the ages.

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Estimate
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Time, Location
04 Jun 2020
USA, Louisville, CO
Auction House
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