Persepolis relief fragment with Pahlavi 1971 provenance
W49£5,000.00
Available
An indurated grey limestone relief fragment from Persepolis, the fabled ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great and sacked by Alexander the Great. The fragment is carved with a series of torus bands which would have formed part of a leg from a representation of a throne or banqueting table.
The city of Persepolis was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Sculpture from the city is exceptionally rare in private ownership and the royal provenance of this piece makes it quite unique.
Culture
Achaemenid, Persepolis, c. 515-330 BC
Size
11.5 x 16 cms, 17cms tall including base
Condition
Fragment as shown in the photographs
Provenance
Presented in 1971 as a gift by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Persia, to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of Persia.
A plaque on the wood base is inscribed “Fetes des 2500 ans, Ruines de Persepolis, Octobre 1971”. The plaque refers to the celebrations hosted by the ill-fated Shah and Pahlavi family at Persepolis which is famed as one of the most expensive and lavish parties recorded in history.
For further reading please see:
https://joshwest63.medium.com/the-billion-dollar-party-that-ended-a-2500-year-old-monarchy-8567c0d46080
https://www.alimentarium.org/en/magazine/history/most-expensive-party-ever
Ex. collection: Raymond Fischof-La Foux (1905-1980) and Suzanne Fischof-La Foux (1920-2023), Avenue Foch, Paris, France.
For a brief biography of Raymond and Suzanne Fischof-La Foux, please see: https://legemmologue.com/en/2024/02/06/osenat-fischof-la-foux/
Please note that this item may not be imported into the United States of America due to a US embargo on items or goods of Iranian origin.
