**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Egypt, Middle Kingdom, 11th to 13th Dynasty, ca. 2130 to 1649 BCE. A striking bust of a male figure hand-carved from granite with an age-darkened exterior, exhibiting the traditional elongated eyes and bulbous bag wig of Middle Kingdom Egypt. The serene countenance is comprised of delicate almond-shaped eyes, a broad nose, and sunken cheeks, all beneath a smooth wig set behind the ears. This sculpture likely belonged to a mid-level official who was able to commission a respectable artwork for his burial place or as a temple offering. Size: 5.7" H (14.5 cm)

The role of the ancient Egyptian sculptor - a sanx - was to portray the dead in a lifelike way, for the express purpose of aiding the dead in the afterlife. By the time of the Middle Kingdom - indeed, from the Old Kingdom onward - sculptors carved not only the pharaohs, but also nobility, government officials, and their families who could afford the honor. A piece like this would have been made by a specialist in a workshop, but we have little evidence to believe that individual sculptors were revered the way they are today; instead, the person who created this piece probably saw it as a job rather than as a calling.

Please note that this piece is a dropship item, meaning that it will be shipping from the consignor?s location. All information regarding condition, size, and metal content have been provided by the consignor. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Provenance: private West Hollywood, California, USA collection; ex-Druout, Paris, France, 1997; with French export document, certificate number 15289, issuing date May 21, 1997

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#177331

Overall good condition, worn facial features, old nick to the tip of the nose, general nicks to the back.