A ‘TWO PRINCES’ SANDSTONE RELIEF, NEW KINGDOM, DYNASTY XVIII, AMARNA PERIOD

Egypt, circa 1352-1336 BC. Carved in sunken relief, the fragment preserves the busts of two young princes in profile to the left, with delicate traces of ancient pigment, including red for the flesh tones. Their faces are finely detailed with almond-shaped eyes and full lips drawn into a gentle smile, framed by shoulder-length wigs. Each raises a hand to the cheek in a gesture of reverence, the composition charged with youthful vitality.

Condition: Good condition with old wear, commensurate with age. Obvious losses, scattered nicks and scratches, expected weathering to pigment, signs of erosion, and encrustations.
Provenance:
- Christie's, 11 June 1968, lot 170 (group lot).
- The collection of Colin MacFadyen, United Kingdom.
- Charles Ede Ltd., London, United Kingdom.
- The Saoud bin Mohammed Ali Al-Thani Foundation, acquired from the above on 14 March 2008, and subsequently de-accessed.

Charles Ede Ltd., founded in 1971 by Charles Richard Montague Ede (1921–2002), is recognized as one of the world’s leading dealers in ancient art, specializing in works from Egypt, Greece, and the Roman Empire, as well as early European art before c. 1000 AD. After early ventures in publishing and the arts, Ede turned his attention to antiquities, establishing the firm that now enjoys an international reputation and a prominent presence at major art fairs worldwide.

Saoud bin Mohammed Ali Al-Thani (1966-2014) was a Qatari prince who served as minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage. By the turn of the 21st century, Sheikh Saoud had established an international reputation as an avid art collector, both for his own collection as well as those of several state-owned museums he oversaw in Qatar. Sheikh Saoud’s legacy as a collector is remarkable, as he laid the foundations of the major collections of Qatar Museums. In 2021, the Museum of Islamic Art hosted an exhibition in tribute to the legendary collector, titled A Falcon's Eye: Tribute to Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani.

The fitted base with an inventory label, inscribed ‘L02619 AMARNA J.EDE.08’.

A copy of a provenance statement, confirming the Saoud bin Mohammed Ali Al-Thani Foundation's previous ownership of the present lot, will be provided to the winning bidder after full payment has been received.

Weight: 2,012.9 g (incl. mounting)
Dimensions: Height 16.5 cm, Width 17 cm

Mounted with metal fittings for suspension. (2)

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related relief block with the head of Libyans, New Kingdom, Amarna Period, dated to ca. 1353-1323 BC, 25 cm wide, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 65.100.1.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 3 July 2024, lot 8
Price: GBP 32,760 or approx. EUR 39,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Egyptian sandstone relief fragment, New Kingdom, 18^th dynasty, Amarna period, circa 1352-1336 BC
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and facial features. Note the similar size (15.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 9 December 2005, lot 61
Price: USD 9,600 or approx. EUR 15,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Egyptian sandstone relief, New Kingdom, Dynasty XVIII, Reign of Akhenaten, 1353-1335 BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and similar painted details. Note the slightly larger size (22.8 cm).