South Arabian Qataban alabaster head with recessed eyes
W45£1,000.00
Available
A fine carved and polished alabaster portrait head with recessed eyes and rough-chiselled hair which would originally have been plastered. The three-dimensional sculpting of this fragment suggests it originates from a statue rather than a recessed votive plaque. Such statues are associated usually with Timna, the capital of the Qataban kingdom.
Culture
South Arabia, Qataban, 3rd to 1st Century BC
Size
10.1 x 7 cms
Condition
Fragment as shown
Provenance
Ex. collection: H.E. Dr Mohamed Said Farsi (Saudi Arabia 1937 – Monaco 2019). Acquired in London between 1960-1990, either through Mayfair galleries, Sothebys or Christies Auctioneers.
Dr Farsi was a Saudi Arabian civic engineer and philanthropist as well as an early and very influential collector of Arabian art. As Mayor of Jeddah during the 1970’s he was responsible for acquiring outstanding European and Middle Eastern contemporary sculptures to adorn the newly-created public art spaces of the Jeddah Corniche including works by Henry Moore, Jean Arp, Joan Miro and Alexander Calder.
Dr Farsi’s personal collection of 20th Century Egyptian paintings was considered the finest of its kind. His interest in art also led him to appreciate and acquire ancient statuary from the Arabian peninsula at a time when such works were poorly understood.
A link to the Dr Mohamed Said Farsi charitable foundation:
http://www.themsff.org/the-foundation/spirit-of-giving/
For a statue with similar facial features, long neck as well as the flattened top of the hair (and recessed eyes extant), please see:
https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2007/antiquities-n08373/lot.32.html
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