Anthropomorphic Sarcophagus Lid
Anthropomorphic Sarcophagus Lid, he is dressed in a long wig and a false beard; the background is tarred and has a rosette ornamentation at the level of the usekh collar. In bituminized wood, the face is painted in yellow and the eyes in black. Long fake beard. Floral pattern ornament.
Saito Persian Period (7th-mid 5th c. BC), Egypt
H. 70cm.
L. 44 cm.
Remains of ocher polychromy.
Decor and original polychrome
Wear and chips.
Provenance: From one of the best European private collections, Mr Walter Vanhaerents, acquired in 1986 in an archaeology sale at Nouveau Drouot on February 24, 1986 / Lot 124. A copy of the catalogues can be found on photos 24 and 25.
Mr Walter Vanhaerents is founder and owner of the Vanhaerents Art Collection Museum, Brussel. ‘The VanhaerentsArtCollection is anunique and comprehensive collection of contemporary art, assembled by Walter Vanhaerents. The origins of the VanhaerentsArtCollection date back to the 1970s, when a young Walter Vanhaerents began amassing his first works of art. Gathering pieces that were considered extremely fierce and radical at the time, he laid the groundwork for a collection that nowadays ranges among the most prestigious worldwide.
– A certificate of authenticity by Becker Antiques (specialist in Antiques since 1969, Amsterdam) will accompany the item.
Important information.
It will be professionally packed and safely send in a wooden crate by FedEx.
Buyers are responsible for import regulation and restrictions of their own country
– The history of Persian Egypt is divided into two eras following the Achaemenid conquest of Egypt punctuated by an interval of independence:
– Twenty-seventh Dynasty of Egypt (525–404 BC), also known as the First Egyptian Satrapy.
– Thirty-first Dynasty of Egypt (343–332 BC), also known as the Second Egyptian Satrapy.
Cambyses II became the Pharaoh of Egypt after his successful subsumption of Egypt into the Persian Empire. In doing so, Cambyses II was given the Pharaoh name of Mesuti Ra,[2] beginning the 27th dynasty (the first Egyptian Satrapy) which lasted from 525 to 404 BCE. A Pharaoh name was a significant tradition for Egyptian royalty as it highlighted the perception of the pharaoh as being a vessel for the gods, and therefore, a divine being in their own right. Though, following the conquest, Cambyses did try to maintain respect for Egyptian culture and traditions, sources suggest that he was unpopular, particularly amongst Egyptian priests,[3] as the subsumption of Egypt into the Persian empire meant the erasure of Egyptian culture as the mainstream. This tension manifested itself by way of the introduction of Persian traditions and norms into Egyptian life and law. One of these norms was that Cambyses did not believe that citizens should be taxed to support the temples, as was Egyptian tradition, which further alienated him from the support of Egyptian priests. Throughout Egyptian history, the temples, and by extension, the priests, were given immense support and a celebrated status. Therefore, by posing a threat to the economic support structure of the religious aspect of Egyptian life, Cambyses fundamentally altered a core aspect of Egyptian culture and life. Additionally, the conquered Egyptian people were considered secondary, which further disenchanted Cambyses to his newly conquered people. In 523 BCE, Psammetichus III organized a revolt against the new Persian rule, demonstrating the displeasure amongst the Egyptian people at the commencement of the Achaemenid Empire. Supposedly, the revolt was overpowered by the Persian forces and Cambyses consequently saw to the destruction of numerous significant temples as a form of punishment and a demonstration of power, though the veracity of this sequence of events is unconfirmed.
