Palmyran Limestone Sarcophagus Relief - Youthful Page

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Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 21, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-02-21 10:00:00 2019-02-21 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-3858
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• Lot Description
  Near East, Palmyra, Roman period, ca. 3rd century CE. A large section from a Palmyran limestone sarcophagus depicting a youthful "page" holding a kantharos in his right hand, standing in slight contrapposto with his weight shifted on his left leg and his right knee slightly bent, turning his head to look downward to his right. The young lad wears a meticulously detailed short-sleeved tunic presenting extensive decorative motifs (described more specifically in extended description below) with a belt tied around his waist and long boots. Notice that the collar is beaded, and there are embroidered stripes down the front and sleeves as well as on the trim of the sleeves and tunic. To his left is an elaborately decorated, large-scale funerary couch leg, and above is a band of decorated panels, one with a recumbent bull, bordering the couch. Size: 24.25" H (61.6 cm); 27.5" H (69.8 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  The central decorative band down the front of the garment presents a series of repeating 5-petaled flowers within circles. Flanking this band are a series of inward facing spiral motifs that resemble the number '6' (front facing as well as inverted). These bands are in turn flanked by rows of nested chevrons. Additional bands of spiral or '6' motifs repeat down the sleeves which have nice trims adorned by diamonds alternating with squares (lower) and coffered squares flanked by dots (upper). This same pattern is repeated at the bottom edge of the tunic. The youth's boots are also beautifully decorated with beading at the ankle tops as well as diamonds flanked by 6's on the uppers.
  
  This relief comes from the lower part of a sarcophagus decorated with a depiction of the deceased who is is reclining in a funerary couch with servants below. Cf. a tomb chamber in Maqqai illustrated in Malcolm A.R. Colledge, "The Art of Palmyra" (London, 1976), fig. 102 as well as a discussion on pp. 77-78.
  
  See a similar youth from a limestone sarcophagus relief section listed at Royal Athena Galleries for $55,000 - http://www.royalathena.com/PAGES/RomanCatalog/Marble/Male/BM0805C.html
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York and California (USA) and Saba (Caribbean), acquired in the 1970s
  
  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.
  
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  #143957

  Condition

  A section from the lower part of a sarcophagus decorated with a depiction of the deceased who is reclining in a funerary couch with servants below. Losses to the peripheries and high pointed areas. Hand reattached. Some repaired breaks and resurfacing to the hands/arms, face, legs/boots, couch leg, and other high pointed areas. Missing handle from kantharos. Overall, quite remarkable with vivid imagery.
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