10¹⁄₄ in. (26 cm.) high

Robert Friedinger-Pranter (1894-1967), Vienna, the Austrian ambassador to Egypt, acquired while on diplomatic post in Cairo, 1950-1953; thence by descent.
with Münzen und Medaillen, Basel.
with Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, acquired from the above, 1987 (Art & Auction, October 1987, p. 92; Art of the Ancient World, vol. V,1, 1988, no. 66).
Acquired by the current owner from the above, 1987.

J. Malek, et al., Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings, vol. 8, part 1, Oxford, 1999, p. 462, no. 801-480-665.

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Lot Essay

Represented in frontal pose and wearing a Hathor-style tripartite wig from which her ears emerge, this portrait bust of a woman is fashioned in the unadorned style of the 13th Dynasty. Her almond-shaped eyes are outlined in raised relief with curved eyebrows above. Her slightly downturned smile and unlined visage betrays no emotions, which are typical of late Middle Kingdom sculpture, as are the small scale and the choice of very dark stone. The uninscribed back pillar indicates that she was originally from a standing sculpture. For similar depictions of women from a family or group statue, see fig. 16 in C. Aldred, The Egyptians and cat. 56, pp. 70-71 in J. Bourriau, Pharaohs and Mortals: Egyptian Art in the Middle Kingdom.