Large Egyptian Cedar Sarcophagus Panel w/ Anubis & Nut

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Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art...

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 24, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-03-24 10:00:00 2022-03-24 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-9057
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A phenomenal cedar sarcophagus panel from the Late Dynastic period, meticulously hand-painted in hues of teal, tan, black, burnt orange, beige, and russet to portray the deceased above Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead and the processes of embalming and mummification, and Nut, the goddess of the sky, stars, and rebirth. The stunning piece is organized into 3 horizontal registers. The deceased lies at the top wrapped in mummification cloth and wearing a tripartite wig with feet pointing left as Anubis walks just below him, facing right. Showcasing a slender body with a delineated navel, the ancient deity wears a kilt that falls just above his knee, while his neck and arms are adorned with slender bracelets and layered necklaces. Size: 11" W x 61.9" H (27.9 cm x 157.2 cm); 65.7" H (166.9 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  He holds both arms out before him, carrying a conical ointment jar in his right hand and a linen mummy wrapping in his left. His characteristic jackal-head features an elongated eye, a lengthy snout, and towering, pointed ears, all capped by a black, tripartite wig. As this is a later depiction of Anubis, his face is not painted black - a traditional feature of the god which is symbolic of the discoloration of the corpse during the mummification process, the fertile black silt of the Nile, and thus also fertility and the possibility of rebirth in the afterlife. Below him, Nut also strides right, exhibiting rigid posture with draped arms falling to either side of her slender body. She is dressed in a long skirt tied just below her breasts, as well as armbands, necklaces, a large earring, and a sizable sun disk that surmounts her black coiffure. Several peg holes - some still with wooden pegs! - line the sides, which would have fastened this panel to the rest of the sarcophagus.
  
  Anubis, based on the real animal called the African golden jackal, is a god associated with mummification and the afterlife and is usually depicted as either a canine or a man with a canine head. Like many Egyptian deities, the role of Anubis changed over time. During the First Dynasty, he was a protector of graves and an embalmer. In the Middle Kingdom period, Osiris claimed Anubis' role as lord of the underworld, but Anubis continued to weigh the hearts of the dead against a feather of truth to determine if they were deserving of eternal life.
  
  This depiction features a sun disk above Nut's head surmounted by a band of dark pigment, likely symbolizing the sky as Nut (also Nunut, Nuit) was the goddess and personification of the Sky and the celestial realm. She is regarded as the barrier separating the ordered cosmos of the world from the forces of chaos. In some depictions, Nut was portrayed as a woman arched on her toes and fingertips over the earth; her sacred body representing a star-filled sky. Nut's fingers and toes as such were believed to touch the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west. According to Egyptian mythology, Nut is a daughter of Shu ("he who rises up" or the personification of air) and Tefnut (goddess of moisture, dew, and rain); her husband and brother is Geb (god of the earth, father of snakes, whose laughter could bring about earthquakes and fertile crops), and she has four children: Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nephthys. Nut was also granddaughter of Ra or Atum, the creator god. The Coffin Texts describe Nut as "she of the braided hair who bore the gods." In one fascinating myth, Nut gives birth to the Sun-god each day, and he passes over her body during the day only to be swallowed at night and reborn the next morning.
  
  Interestingly, cedar wood was not native to Egypt. Egypt did not have verdant forests filled with tall trees, and unfortunately most of its native lumber was of relatively poor quality. Thus, they relied on importing to acquire hardwoods - ebony imported from Africa, cedar and pine from Lebanon. One fabulous obelisk inscription by Thutmose III attests to the luxury of treasured hardwoods. It reads as follows, "They brought to me the choicest products...consisting of cedar, juniper and of meru wood...all the good sweet woods of God's Land." The rarity of cedar meant that coffin panels like this example were reserved for those who could afford them.
  
  Provenance: private West Hollywood, California, USA collection, acquired August 6th, 2020; ex-collection of Michael G. Moye, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA; ex-Antiquarius Ltd., New York, USA, October 15th, 1997; ex-private USA collection
  
  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.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #170452

  Condition

  Fragment of a larger piece. Losses to peripheries and 5 side pegs. Expected surface wear with some losses to gesso and pigments, stable fissures, and old inactive insect holes, commensurate with age. Slight worming to verso. A few minor areas of repainting. Losses to some peripheral areas. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining pigments, as well as nice areas of crazing and encrustations.
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