Description : An Egyptian limestone statue of Sekhemankhptah
Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty, circa 2389-2255 B.C.
Statue: 121cm high x 51cm wide x 40cm deep; plinth: 91cm x 71cm x 61cm
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Estimate (low-high) : 200000 GBP-300000 GBPIt's free to register now to view!
About the lot N° 251 Title : An Egyptian limestone statue of Sekhemankhptah Provenance : Provenance:Tomb G7152 at Giza, excavated by George A. Reisner and the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, during the digging season of 1926-1927.This statue is referenced in Reisner's diary entry of 29 January 1927 (vol. 20, p. 667): 'uncovered the two seated statues at door of G 7152, and a broken standing statue at north side of door, fallen in several pieces'.Vincent (1886-1967) and Olga (1906-2000) Diniacopoulos collection, Canada, acquired from the Khawam Brothers, Cairo and likely brought to Canada in 1951.
Property from a Canadian Private Collection, a portion of the proceeds intended for the benefit of Concordia University, Montreal; Sotheby's, New York, 5 June 1999, lot 25.Private collection, New York, acquired at the above sale, until 2018.Published: La Presse, Montreal, 15 May 1954 (illus.).V. and O. Diniacopoulos, Collection Monsieur et Madame D., Vincent et Fils, Valleyfield, 1954, p. 5, no. 6.R. Belle-Isle, Exposition d'art antique, Chambly, Quebec, 1965, p.5.J.E. Francis and G.W.M. Harrison, Life and Death in Ancient Egypt, The Diniacopoulos Collection, Montreal, 2004, p.59, fig. 5.6.J.M. Fossey and J.E. Francis, The Diniacopoulos Collection in Quebec: Greek and Roman Antiquities, Montreal, 2004, p. 22, fig. 1.4 for a photograph of Vincent and Olga unboxing pieces including Sekhemankhptah at the Séminaire de Valleyfield in 1955.Exhibited: Séminaire de Valleyfield, Quebec, Diniacopoulos Collection, from 1954. Ecole Gérard Filion, Chambly, Exposition d'art antique, 1965.The tomb of Sekhemankhptah is dicussed in the following publications:G.A. Reisner, A History of the Giza Necropolis I, Cambridge, 1942, pp. 210, 312. W.H. Smith, A History of Egyptian Sculpture and Painting in the Old Kingdom, London, 1946, p.200 (recording the decoration of the interior of the offering-room of the tomb: 'The east wall retains a fragment of an agricultural scene, and the north wall is decorated with scenes showing the care of cattle. The west wall has a presentation of animals').B. Porter & R.L.B. Moss, Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Reliefs, and Paintings 3: Memphis, 1974, p. 191.A. Bedawy, The Tombs of Iteti, Sekhem'ankh-Ptah and Kaemnofret at Giza, Berkeley, 1976, pp.15-24, figs. 18-24, pls. 14-23, including detailed description of the decoration of the tomb and drawings of such. Sekhemankhptah's titles are listed on p.22.N. Strudwick, The Administration of Egypt in the Old Kingdom: The Highest Titles and Their Holders, London, 1985, pp.134-5. V.G. Callender, 'A Contribution to the Burial of Women in the Old Kingdom', in F. Coppens (ed.), Abusir and Saqqara in the year 2001. Proceedings of the Symposium, Prague, September 2001, Archiv Orientálni 70, no. 3, 2002, p. 303, no. 15.Sekhemankhptah was a highly important Egyptian official during the 5th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. His mastaba tomb is located southeast of Khufu's pyramid in Giza, one of 'the most important necropolises for Egyptian royalty and the upper echelons of officialdom during the Old Kingdom' (P. Der Manuelian, 'Excavating the Old Kingdom, the Giza Necropolis and Other Mastaba Fields', in Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids, New York, 1999, p. 139). It was excavated in 1926 by George Reisner, and the hieroglyphic texts on the interior demonstrate the pre-eminent role Sekhemankhptah played in the royal court. Sekhemankhptah is named as 'Count; Sole companion of Pharaoh; Chief judge, vizier; Staff of the people; Mouth of all the people of Pe; Royal chamberlain; Privy to the secret; Overseer of the scribes of the documents of the king; Scribe of the documents of the king; Overseer of all the works of the king; Overseer of the embalming house of Pharaoh; Overseer of the embalming house'. These titles suggest that Sekhemankhptah w... Notes : This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * W
Bonhams, auctioneer, It's free to register now to view! Sale title : Antiquities Sale date : 07 Dec 2023It's free to register now to view! Sale Reference : Live Sale