EGYPTIAN WOODEN HEAD OF STATUE OF PRIEST

EGYPTIAN WOODEN HEAD OF STATUE OF PRIEST
Ca. 945 - 715 BCAn Egyptian wooden painted and inlaid head of a priest. Black pigment still accentuates his hair and there is red shadowing on the shadowing face while the eyes are inlaid with an amazing blue glass mixture. Wooden sculptures like this are incredibly rare in this state of preservation and are incredible examples illustrating everyday life in ancient Egypt. The face, probably a fragment of a statue from a temple, exudes incredible dignity as it gazes forward in the direction of the deity. Typically, this type of statue was used to represent the priest in the temple, who continuously sought the help of God. For similar see: La bellezza femminile nell'antico Egitto, p. 161 (face of sarcophagus). This item has been restored. Size: 200mm x 150mm; Weight: 1.29kgProvenance: Private UK collection; Ex. M. H. collection, Kensington, acquired on the UK art market in the 1970s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.This piece is accompanied by a report from Simone Musso, consultant curator for Egyptian antiquities at the Stibbert Museum, Florence, Italy, member of the Nuri Archaeological Expedition.