Egyptian Faience Pendant of Prowling Lion, ex-Sotheby's

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Exceptional Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographi...

By Artemis Gallery

Jun 10, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-06-10 10:00:00 2021-06-10 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-7012
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• Lot Description
  Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th Dynasty, ca. 664 to 525 BCE. An incredible example of a mold-formed faience lion amulet as it paces forward, with head outstretched and haunches extended, as if actively engaged in hunting unwary prey. The standing feline presents in a striding pose with the limbs on its left side extended and those on the right back behind, with a set of testes incised just beneath the base of the tail, and a pecked mane wrapping around the stocky neck. Incised along each shoulder is a feather of Ma'at (truth) that signifies an animalistic purity to the hunt - rather than wanton aggression - in which the lion partakes. The lion's head exudes a captivating sense of verism with its cupped, attentive ears, gaunt eyes, and powerful muzzle, and its bony cheeks are suggestive of advanced age and experience in prowling for its next meal. An integral suspension loop centered on its back enabled this pendant to be worn on a necklace or woven into the linen wrappings of a mummy. Given the symbolism of the lion and the feathers, this example is perhaps the zoomorphic form of Maahes (also Mahes, Mihos, or Miysis), the lion god known as the "Lord of the Massacre." Cloaked in layers of sage and pistachio green glaze, this is an exemplary piece of Egyptian artistry! Size: 3.1" L x 0.6" W x 1.3" H (7.9 cm x 1.5 cm x 3.3 cm)
  
  According to Egyptologist Dorothea Arnold, "The ancient Egyptians lived in awe of these great felines, and lions especially were regarded as the embodiment of power . . . As the lion embodies the forces of chaos, it belongs to a world beyond the ordered realm of the Egyptian king. Lions were part of the Egyptian fauna until about two centuries ago, and in the pharaonic periods they must have been fairly common. They were certainly well known to herdsmen and hunters as the most dangerous animals of the steppe. Recently the skeletal remains of adult as well as young lions were discovered near the tomb of the First Dynasty king Hor Aha (ca. 2960 - 2926 B.C.) at Abydos, Middle Egypt - clear evidence that from the beginning Egyptians kept captive lions at the royal court." (Arnold, Dorothea. "An Egyptian Bestiary." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Spring 1995, Vol. LII, no. 4, pp. 16-17)
  
  This example of a lion is of particular interest given the inclusions of the feathers of Ma'at (or feathers of truth) on the shoulders. The god Maahes, depicted as either a full lion or a lion-headed man, is traditionally a deity associated with war or aggression and is best-known as the "Lord of the Massacre" along with other titles such as "The Scarlet Lord" or "Wielder of the Knife;" however, Maahes is not associated with evil forces or perceived as a malevolent entity. Instead, the name "Maahes" - with 'Ma' meaning "lion" and 'Maa' meaning "to see" - derives its roots from the name Ma'at, the goddess of truth and justice. So, when considering Maahes' name in conjunction with the name of Ma'at, we see how Maahes is more of a benevolent deity who quashes uprisings, punishes evil doers as well as those who wish to sow disorder and chaos across the lands, and promotes the inherent justice and order demanded by the gods; therefore, he is also known by the names "Helper of the Wise Ones" and "Avenger of Wrongs." The feathers of Ma'at on this example, subsequently, are highly suggestive of this pendant being associated with both the god Maahes as well as the goddess Ma'at.
  
  A fragmentary faience lion of a smaller size from the 26th Dynasty hammered for GBP 75,000 ($106,558.28) at Christie's, London "Antiquities" auction (sale 17198, July 3, 2019, lot 23)
  
  This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
  
  Provenance: ex-private T. S. collection, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, USA, acquired in February 1984 from Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, New York, USA; ex-Sotheby’s, London (December 1982, lot 173); on loan to the Detroit Institute of Arts from 1984 to 2017
  
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  #164753

  Condition

  Very small chips to nose and proper left eyebrow, with softening to some finer details, and abrasions to glazed surfaces in scattered areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Beautiful preservation to most details, and lustrous layers of glaze pigment remains throughout.
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