Stunning Egyptian Alabaster Bust of a Regal Figure

**Originally Listed At $2500**

Ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom, 11th to 13th Dynasty, ca. 2130 to 1649 BCE. Bust of a regal figure, hand-carved from honey-yellow alabaster with an age-darkened exterior and thin bands of natural veining that illuminate when held next to a bright light. The serene countenance is comprised of delicate almond-shaped eyes beneath thin lids and gently arching brows, a broad nose with accentuated nostrils, full lips flanked by indented corners, smooth cheeks, and cupped ears, all beneath a simple bag wig. The broad shoulders support the sizable head, and a V-shaped incision adorns the front of the chest. Busts like this example were created as figurative models for expert sculptors, though it is also possible that this was intended as a votive funerary offering for a deceased individual of high social standing. Size: 2.625" W x 3" H (6.7 cm x 7.6 cm); 4.8" H (12.2 cm) on included custom stand.

A somewhat similar example of a head, of a smaller size and carved from granodiorite, hammered for $32,500 at Christie's, New York "Antiquities Including Property from The Collection of Max Palevsky" auction (sale 2364, December 9, 2010, lot 7).

Provenance: private Honolulu, Hawaii, USA collection, collected prior to 1948

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#149538
Condition Report: This bust is a fragment of a larger figure or sculptor's model. Darkening to surfaces commensurate with age, with light softening to some finer details, and minor nicks to shoulders, wig, and face. Smooth patina throughout.