Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Kassite period, ca. 14th to 13th century BCE. A hand-built gypsum-based frit head of a religious worshipper with deep orbitals, sweeping brows, a broad nose, and a rounded mandible, all beneath a recessed groove along the brow. The brow, eyes, and neckline would have been first lined with bitumen and then decorated with attractive inlays of shell or stone when first created. Someone likely sculpted this figure for religious reasons; the figures with large eyes would have been placed in temples atop ziggurats. The striking eyes are a dominant feature of this kind of sculpture, likely representing a state of ecstatic prayer, and would have contributed to the sanctity of the temple. Size: 1.6" W x 2.5" H (4.1 cm x 6.4 cm); 3.875" H (9.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 32.37; also The British Museum, registration number 1927,0527.224.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010; ex-Arte Primitivo

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.

#175344

  • Condition: Abrasions and nicks commensurate with age, with chips to ears, mouth, and brow, light earthen deposits, light pitting, and some infill material along lower verso. Great preservation to facial form given the age.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

December 22, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 26.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000