Egyptian cosmetic palette as a bird
€6,080
available
Object number
AR3554A
| Object: |
Egyptian cosmetic palette in the shape of a bird
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| Material: |
Dark grey stone, greywacke.
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| Period: |
Predynastic period of Egypt, Naqada I to IIB, circa 4000 BC to 3600 BC. |
| Description: |
Cosmetic palette in the shape of a bird. The flat plate has a mostly circular body with stylised wings and tail. The animal is depicted with its neck stretched forward and its head looking downward. The predynastic palette is finely and expertly crafted.
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| Background: |
Cosmetic palettes are characteristic for the Naqada culture that flourished in the Nile valley around the 4th Millenium BC. The culture was the seed for the well-known dynasties of ancient Egypt. Hard stone palettes were used to grind and mix cosmetic pigments. They were so precious to their owners that they often accompanied them into the grave. Cosmetic palettes with stylized zoomorphic features were a big fashion during that period.
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| Dimensions: |
16.4cm wide, 16.2cm high.
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| Condition: |
Very good condition. Minor and major chips along the edges, but the material is otherwise complete and intact. Abrasion marks on the surface, presumably ancient. Modern adhesive residue, likely from a label, on one side.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us in 2024 from the US art market. Previously in a US ownership. From 2004 to 2015, the palette was on permanent loan or acquired by the Musée d'art et d'histoire, Geneva, Switzerland, inventory number A 2004-0024/dt. Prior to that in the Swiss private collection of J.-P. C. Acquired in the 1970s, probably in the art market.
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| Publication: |
C. Ritschard, Animaux d'art et d'histoire, bestiaire des collections genevoises, catalogue of the exhibition at the Musée d'art et d'histoire in Geneva from March 30th to September 24th, 2000 (Geneva, 2000), p. 198, no. 58.
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| References: |
Cf. University of Cambridge, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, acc. no. Z18001. Cf. Louvre, acc. no. E 24729. |
| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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