Egypt, Late Dynastic to Ptolemaic Period, ca. 664 to 30 BCE. A gorgeous cast-bronze sculpture of the goddess Isis-Hathor seated with her right hand held to her bare breast ready to suckle the infant Horus (also called Harpokrates) seated in her lap, whom she supports with her left hand in a maternal manner. She wears an ankle-length sheath over her lower body that accentuates the contours of her form, her traditional vulture headdress (missing projecting head), and a horned crown with a uraeus and a central sun disk she adopted from the goddess Hathor. Horus is shown nude with arms at his sides and a minimalist visage adorned by his incredibly long side lock of youth, indicating his divine and royal status. As a cult figure from this time period, Isis is often shown as a mother goddess as we see here. Covered in brilliant layers of green, aqua, and even violet patina, this is a touching portrayal, probably intended for a niche in a temple or a grave. Note how it shimmers in the sunlight due having been previously gilded and still retaining 3% gold in its composition! Size: 2.875" W x 7.25" H (7.3 cm x 18.4 cm); 8" H (20.3 cm) on included custom stand.
During the Ptolemaic period, Isis/Hathor, Serapis, and Horus/Harpocrates formed the Triad of Alexandria, a cult for worshipping the three deities that combined Greek and Roman gods with Egyptian ones. Ptolemy introduced this worship as a way to unify the cultures under his rule. Isis/Hathor was associated with childbirth and fertility and Horus/Harpocrates was the god of silence, secrets, and confidentiality.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Stephenson collection, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA, acquired from Faustus Galleries, London, June 1978
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#162148
Condition
Excellent and intact with rich patina throughout.