Ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom, 11th to 13th Dynasty, ca. 2130 to 1649 BCE. An impressive black stone head of a male presenting a straight brow and short, curled wig characteristic of the Middle Kingdom. Sculpted in the round, the head presents elongated eyes with heavy lids, a broad nose, a square jaw, and full lips. The bulbous quality of his skull is accentuated by the incise, grid-like pattern of the wig which radiates outward from the top of his head. Size: 1.1" W x 1.7" H (2.8 cm x 4.3 cm); 2.4" H (6.1 cm) on included custom stand.
The role of the ancient Egyptian sculptor - a sanx - was to portray the dead in a lifelike way, for the express purpose of aiding the dead in the afterlife. By the time of the Middle Kingdom - indeed, from the Old Kingdom onward - sculptors carved not only the pharaohs, but also nobility, government officials, and their families who could afford the honor. A piece like this would have been made by a specialist in a workshop, but we have little evidence to believe that individual sculptors were revered the way they are today; instead, the person who created this piece probably saw it as a job rather than as a calling.
Provenance: private Danvers, Massachusetts, USA collection, acquired by descent; ex-USA collection, acquired before 2000
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#179249
Condition
Fragment of a larger piece with modern wax applied to base for attaching to base. Some light surface wear with nicks in areas and minor chips to nose, but otherwise has an impressive presentation with excellent preservation of detail.