Khentiamentiu

A sampling of all things Egypt.

ARCENCPostings

Tweets by @ARCENCPostings

Monday, June 3, 2019

Tutankhamun bust set to reach £4m at Christie’s auction | Financial Times


https://www.ft.com/content/80cb7564-8514-11e9-a028-86cea8523dc2

Tutankhamun bust set to reach £4m at Christie's auction

Price tag reflects fact that statues of Egyptian boy king rarely come on to the market
The bust, which is a fragment of a larger statue, shows Tutankhamun as Amun, the most important god of the era © Christie


James Pickford

A 3,000-year-old stone sculpture bearing the features of Tutankhamun, the most famous of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, is expected to fetch at least £4m when it goes under the hammer next month in London.

With the distinctive almond-shaped eyes and drooping lower lip of the famed boy king, the quartzite fragment of a larger statue shows Tutankhamun as Amun, the most important god of the era. Depictions of Egyptian deities commonly carried the likeness of the living pharaoh as a propaganda tool for driving home the ruler's power and divine status. 

It is the first time that the head, owned by a private collection, has appeared on the open market since 1985. Experts at the London arm of auction house Christie's, where the statue will be sold on July 4, believe the statue would once have been housed at the Temple of Karnak in Upper Egypt, where other statues showing Tutankamun's likeness have previously been found. 

Coming to the throne at the age of nine, Tutankhamun ruled for less than 10 years to 1323BCE. But his place in the cultural consciousness was secured after Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered his still-intact royal tomb in 1922, laden with gold, jewellery and finely wrought objects. The sensational find unleashed "Tut-mania" around the world, with Egyptian themes and motifs adopted by architects, fashion houses and jewellers. 

Sculptures from the 20-year "Amarna period" preceding Tutankhamun's reign are highly sought as it was a period of religious and artistic revolution when court sculptors rejected standardised motifs to capture individual features in a much more realistic way.

Egyptian head with features of Tutankhamun for sale at Christie's. The innovative realistic representation of the period makes such pieces highly sought after today © Christie's

Laetitia Delaloye, head of the antiquities department at Christie's London, said artists retained the new style even after Tutankhamun restored older religious traditions. "The beauty of the lines and the way it's carved are a testament to the Amarna style," she said.

The high estimate on the artefact, which is being sold by a private collection known as the Resandro Collection, also reflects the fact that statues of Tutankhamun very seldom appear on the market, since most are now housed in museums. 

Ancient objects increasingly attract demands for repatriation when they come up for sale. Christie's faced protests last year when it sold an Assyrian relief from the royal palace of Nimrud for $31m — three times its estimate — to an anonymous buyer. Iraq's ministry of culture had denounced the sale, asking for the work to be sent back to the country. Christie's denied any legal basis for repatriation. 

Egypt has regulated the sale of its cultural heritage since 1835, and brought in laws in 1983 banning the removal of artefacts from the country. More recently it has strengthened legislation in a bid to clamp down on the trade in illicit objects. 

It is not known when and where the Tutankhamun head was found, but its provenance goes back to the 1960s, when Christie's said it formed part of the collection of Prince Wilhelm von Thurn und Taxis, a German collector. It subsequently passed through the hands of dealers until bought by the current owners in 1985. 

The head's existence is well known among scholars: it has been lent for museum exhibitions in Germany and Spain and has been documented in academic studies of ancient Egyptian art since the 1980s. 

Christie's said it was in frequent contact with the Egyptian authorities about its planned sales of antiquities, adding that it would send details of the head and other artefacts in the sale to the authorities on publication of the sale catalogue early this week.

Posted by Glenn Meyer at 3:32 PM
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

No comments:

Post a Comment

Newer Post Older Post Home
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

My Blog List

  • MysteriousStranger
    Cover
  • AWOL - The Ancient World Online
    Le prime scritture iraniane: I sistemi di scrittura proto-elamita e lineare elamita

Subscribe To Khentiamentiu

Posts
Atom
Posts
Comments
Atom
Comments

Search This Blog

Blog Archive

  • ►  2023 (80)
    • ►  March (23)
    • ►  February (19)
    • ►  January (38)
  • ►  2022 (294)
    • ►  December (31)
    • ►  November (18)
    • ►  October (25)
    • ►  September (34)
    • ►  August (26)
    • ►  July (17)
    • ►  June (18)
    • ►  May (24)
    • ►  April (22)
    • ►  March (24)
    • ►  February (22)
    • ►  January (33)
  • ►  2021 (361)
    • ►  December (33)
    • ►  November (30)
    • ►  October (36)
    • ►  September (20)
    • ►  August (24)
    • ►  July (27)
    • ►  June (24)
    • ►  May (23)
    • ►  April (36)
    • ►  March (36)
    • ►  February (30)
    • ►  January (42)
  • ►  2020 (611)
    • ►  December (41)
    • ►  November (35)
    • ►  October (57)
    • ►  September (49)
    • ►  August (45)
    • ►  July (59)
    • ►  June (50)
    • ►  May (51)
    • ►  April (49)
    • ►  March (62)
    • ►  February (55)
    • ►  January (58)
  • ▼  2019 (1083)
    • ►  December (61)
    • ►  November (76)
    • ►  October (79)
    • ►  September (82)
    • ►  August (86)
    • ►  July (81)
    • ▼  June (82)
      • How collapsing civilizations have helped the world
      • Inauguration of Lahun pyramid and Khond Aslabay Mo...
      • The incredible story of Egypt’s Museum of Islamic Art
      • Racism in science: the taint that lingers
      • Dozens of mummies dating back 2,000 years found ne...
      • Tell Edfu | American Research Center In Egypt
      • Ancient Egyptian mummy linens seized at Blue Water...
      • Four Ecolodges in Egypt Worth Exploring to Escape ...
      • Adventures of a space archaeologist
      • Exclusive: Controversial King Tut Statue Has Sketc...
      • Northern California ARCE Upcoming Egyptology Lectu...
      • Tourism min.: Karnak Temple is first archaeologica...
      • Macclesfield Egyptian Collection | Egypt Explorati...
      • AWOL - The Ancient World Online: Open Access Journ...
      • AWOL - The Ancient World Online: KELLIA: The Kopti...
      • AWOL - The Ancient World Online: Coptic Dictionary...
      • Aberdeen charity hoping for Egyptian magic as item...
      • Sisi orders world parade for royal mummies transfe...
      • New Books in Egyptology (May-June 2019) - Nile Scr...
      • Interactions between Priests and Religious Landsca...
      • News from the Conservation Lab — June 2019 – The K...
      • Tutankhamun's sunshade may have been attached to h...
      • Penn Museum's Collection of Ancient Tweezers – Phi...
      • Egypt removes 'god of death' Anubis from Nations C...
      • UK Embassy inquires about selling of head of Tutan...
      • Egypt suspends hot air ballooning in Luxor after s...
      • For the 1st time a path for visually impaired in E...
      • In Photos: Egypt's PM Madbouly visits new Grand Eg...
      • Royal Egyptian mummies, sarcophagi to be transferr...
      • Renovating the Egyptian Museum - Al Ahram Weekly
      • ‘Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt’ Revi...
      • Ancient Water Underlies Arid Egypt - Eos
      • Shop for Egyptian Artifacts & Jewelry | Sadigh Gal...
      • Tutankhamun for sale - Egypt Independent
      • Hi-Tech Levitation Devices Used To “Float” Ancient...
      • Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyp...
      • Ancient Resource Auctions' online-only Antiquities...
      • Amos Rex, the Art Museum of Estonia, and the Museo...
      • ANE TODAY - 201906 - Peace in Ancient Egypt -
      • Egypt urges Britain to stop selling 32 ancient art...
      • Crunch!
      • Egypt's Struggles in Returning Its Looted Artifacts
      • High-Tech 'Hoverboards' Helped Move a 13-Ton Egypt...
      • PhD candidate position in Egyptology, Université C...
      • Here's all the tech involved as Penn Museum prepar...
      • The Egyptian Book of the Dead eBook by John Romer ...
      • Ugly Object of the Month — June 2019 – The Kelsey ...
      • Egypt Tries to Halt the Auction of a King Tut Scul...
      • AWOL - The Ancient World Online: Open Access Journ...
      • You can now buy Egyptian nationality for this much...
      • The struggle to find silence in the ancient monast...
      • Eagle News Online – Egypt through the eyes of L. F...
      • DNA from mummy’s tomb reviews ancient Egyptian ori...
      • Bleak Ramadan TV season depresses Egyptian viewers
      • Google celebrates birthday of Ahmed Khaled Tawfik ...
      • Egypt tries to stop sale of Tutankhamun statue in ...
      • Beheira governor to promote recent archaeological ...
      • Meet Petrie Museum's Anna Garnett - Nile Scribes
      • The Northern Cemeteries of Amarna | Egypt Explorat...
      • Egypt can demand return of King Tut statue going u...
      • Hit Paris Tutankhamun show gets extended run - Lif...
      • Tutankhamun Head to be Auctioned by Christie's, Sp...
      • Antiquities Min. Investigates Planned Sale of Tuta...
      • Watch a modern embalming method for an Egyptian yo...
      • River Spirit in Nile Magazine: From Ethiopia to Eg...
      • Experts unlock Montrose Museum's ancient Egyptian ...
      • Egypt Centre Collection Blog
      • Egyptian monuments reside in over 39 museums world...
      • Baron Empain Palace to house heritage exhibition o...
      • New grants awarded for 2019 | Egypt Exploration So...
      • Greetings at the GEM - Al Ahram Weekly
      • Tutankhamun bust set to reach £4m at Christie’s au...
      • Washington Post: In Giza, ancient Egypt’s pyramids...
      • Egyptian Grand Museum receives 181 artifacts from ...
      • Egyptology Lecturer Position - Near Eastern Langua...
      • Egyptology Lecturer at University of California - ...
      • Top 10 Most Iconic Pieces of Art in Ancient Egypt ...
      • Washington Post Review: Everyday hardship and brut...
      • Coptic museum to organize exhibition on 'Journey o...
      • Sad news about Herman te Velde
      • New discoveries made in Tuna el-Gebel area - Egypt...
      • Fwd: A first peek at our 2019 field season
    • ►  May (108)
    • ►  April (96)
    • ►  March (111)
    • ►  February (113)
    • ►  January (108)
  • ►  2018 (1431)
    • ►  December (116)
    • ►  November (109)
    • ►  October (131)
    • ►  September (110)
    • ►  August (135)
    • ►  July (137)
    • ►  June (147)
    • ►  May (26)
    • ►  April (114)
    • ►  March (132)
    • ►  February (119)
    • ►  January (155)
  • ►  2017 (1438)
    • ►  December (97)
    • ►  November (147)
    • ►  October (157)
    • ►  September (81)
    • ►  August (122)
    • ►  July (151)
    • ►  June (130)
    • ►  May (157)
    • ►  April (71)
    • ►  March (95)
    • ►  February (117)
    • ►  January (113)
  • ►  2016 (1621)
    • ►  December (88)
    • ►  November (102)
    • ►  October (57)
    • ►  September (113)
    • ►  August (163)
    • ►  July (160)
    • ►  June (121)
    • ►  May (160)
    • ►  April (143)
    • ►  March (157)
    • ►  February (151)
    • ►  January (206)
  • ►  2015 (1644)
    • ►  December (106)
    • ►  November (189)
    • ►  October (244)
    • ►  September (213)
    • ►  August (196)
    • ►  July (120)
    • ►  June (197)
    • ►  May (172)
    • ►  April (171)
    • ►  March (36)

Popular Posts

  • Fwd: [New post] Ancient Egyptian Military Fortress Discovered in North Sinai
    WordPress.com Marwa Mohamed posted: &qu...
  • Fwd: [New post] Egyptian Archaeologists Discover Neolithic Royal Inscriptions in Aswan
    WordPress.com Marwa Mohamed posted: &qu...
  • Mummy of Ancient Egypt singer engulfed in Rio de Janeiro museum fire - Al Arabiya English
    http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/art-and-culture/2018/09/04/Mummy-of-Ancient-Egypt-singer-engulfed-in-Rio-de-Janeiro-museum-fire....
  • GEM countdown begins - Al Ahram Weekly
    http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/27269.aspx Heritage GEM countdown begins The Grand ...
  • "Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb" review - EgyptToday
    https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/93761/Secrets-of-the-Saqqara-Tomb-review "Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb" review ...
  • Another Ancient Sphinx Is Discovered Near the Valley of the Kings, Adding Fuel for Egypt's Tourism Rebound | artnet News
      https://news.artnet.com/art-world/previously-unknown-sphinx-uncovered-egypt-construction-workers-1332680 ...
  • Egypt's top archaeologist Hawass refutes city, tunnels under Sphinx - Xinhua | English.news.cn
    Some stories just never die. I recall standing in front of the Sphinx in 1997,  arguing with someone who claimed that there was an ...
  • Festschrift Celebrating the Career of Janet Johnson Now Available | The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago
    https://oi.uchicago.edu/article/festschrift-celebrating-career-janet-johnson-now-available Festschrift Celebrating the Career of Jan...
  • Archeologists have unearthed an entire Egyptian sphinx, in the middle of a Californian desert — Quartzy
    https://quartzy.qz.com/1136891/the-strange-tale-of-the-lost-california-sphinx/ The strange tale of the lost California sp...
  • Inroduction and Index of the EARLY DYNASTIC EGYPT Web-site by Francesco Raffaele
    http://xoomer.virgilio.it/francescoraf/hesyra/intro.htm ...

About Me

My photo
Glenn Meyer
A NASA software engineer for more than 20 years (retired), Egyptology hobbyist and ARCE-NC board of directors member for 25 years, former reporter and copy editor for the Kansas City Star and Louisville Courier-Journal. I favor open source development, Linux, network neutrality, medical care as a right and not a privilege, the ACLU, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech, among other things.
View my complete profile
Simple theme. Powered by Blogger.