A PAINTED WOOD FIGURE OF A FALCON, THE EMBODIMENT OF HORUS, LATE PERIOD TO PTOLEMAIC ERA
Lot 18 - ANT1125

Expert’s note: The falcon was the sacred bird of Horus, one of the most powerful protective deities of ancient Egypt. Small wooden figures such as this were placed in the funerary assemblage to embody his guardianship, ensuring the safe passage of the deceased into the afterlife. In the Late to Ptolemaic Period, painted falcons could be mounted on coffins, shrines, or canopic chests, or deposited as independent votive figures. The preserved traces of pigment recall the vivid colors that once animated the divine bird of Horus, a potent symbol of rebirth and eternal kingship.

Egypt, circa 4^th-2^nd century BC. Finely carved, the bird stands atop an integral oval base, its wings neatly crossed over the tail feathers. The head shows gently hollowed eyes and a short, curved beak, with traces of yellow pigment on the body and black used to accentuate the facial markings, portions of the wings, and the forepart.

Provenance: A private collection in the Netherlands, before 1975, and thence by descent. Thereafter with Aton Gallery, Oberhausen, Germany, acquired from the above. The property of a Swiss private collector, acquired from the above in 2015. A copy of the invoice from Aton Gallery, Oberhausen, dated 11 August 2015, confirming the dating and provenance above, accompanies the lot.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected age cracks and fissures, obvious losses, flaking and rubbing to pigment, signs of weathering and erosion, and encrustations.

Weight: 94.8 g
Dimensions: Height 13.7 cm

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 14 April 2011, lot 101
Price: GBP 7,500 or approx. EUR 15,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Egyptian painted wood falcon, Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, circa 4^th-2^nd century BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and painted decoration. Note also the similar size (13.3 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 6 December 2016, lot 18
Price: GBP 6,250 or approx. EUR 11,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Egyptian polychrome painted wood Horus Falcon, Ptolemaic period, circa 332-30 BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and similar painted decoration. Note the tall crown atop the head.