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A CHLORITE AND CALCITE COMPOSITE FIGURE OF A BACTRIAN PRINCESS, OXUS CIVILIZATION, 2500-1500 BC
奥地利
04月17日 下午5点 开拍 /15天1小时
拍品描述
A CHLORITE AND CALCITE COMPOSITE FIGURE OF A BACTRIAN PRINCESS, OXUS CIVILIZATION, 2500-1500 BCCentral Asia, Northern Afghanistan. Finely carved, the chlorite body of the figure in the form of an oval pebble, engraved with sinuous lines in three distinct bands, reminiscent of the kaunakes fleece, fitted with a separately carved calcite head, featured with a distinctly rounded skull and a hieratic expression, marked by a pair of almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and gently pursed lips. The visage surmounted by a chlorite headpiece, also modeled separately, decorated with an incised grid pattern and a tall, rectangular crest. (3)Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum, acquired in 1976 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe. In December 2025, he was awarded medals of national recognition by the Royal Government of Cambodia for his exceptional contributions to the scientific study, preservation, and international understanding of Angkor and Koh Ker. Zelnik founded the Hungarian Southeast Asian Institute in the early 2000s. The Institute supported a range of research programs at Angkor and Koh Ker, including archaeological surveys, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) investigations, epigraphic studies, and historical research. These efforts have contributed to a deeper understanding of the Angkorian empire, the pre-Angkor period, and Cambodia's prehistoric times. Research supported by the institute played a key role in raising international awareness of Koh Ker and led to its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, showing expected ancient wear, natural imperfections, soil encrustations, losses, possibly minute old repairs and fills, small cracks, signs of weathering and erosion, and scattered nibbling. The stone with natural fissures, mica inclusions, and a good overall patina, the calcite head likewise displaying a fine aged surface.Weight: 1,195 g (total)Dimensions: Length 14.7 cmSmall statuettes such as the present lot were produced by the Oxus civilization, which flourished between 2300 and 1700?BC in Western Central Asia (modern-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and northern Afghanistan). Among the limited corpus of three-dimensional representations from this period are a group of stone female figures, traditionally referred to as 'Bactrian princesses'. These figures are often depicted seated or squatting on a platform and wearing robes decorated with patterned motifs, possibly intended to imitate sheep's fleece.Despite their traditional designation, these female images are now generally interpreted as depictions of goddesses whose function was to regulate the natural order, pacifying untamed forces symbolized by lions, snakes, or dragons, rather than portraying members of the elite. Most examples are executed in composite stones such as soft chlorite or steatite, occasionally with heads in white calcite, limestone, or marble.Discovered around 1965, these composite figures were initially thought to be Iranian, owing to their mantles, which resemble the kaunakes worn during the archaic Mesopotamian dynasties (2900-2300 BC). The kaunakes was a ceremonial skirt, often depicted on limestone statues of orants (praying figures), consisting of three rows of stylized tufted wool. In Bactria, however, the garment enveloped the entire body. The connection to Elamite art is further supported by seals engraved with similar imagery, one of which clearly depicts a queen wearing this distinctive attire.Literature comparison:Compare a closely related composite figure of a 'Bactrian Princess' with an elongated body shaped like a bird, Oxus Civilization, in the Sarikhani collection, illustrated in Agnès Benoit, Art in the First Cities of Iran and Central Asia: The Sarikhani Collection, 2021, p. 221.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Thierry de Maigret, Paris, 13 June 2014, lot 37 Mid-estimate: EUR 35,000 or approx. EUR 42,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing : Statuette representing a "Bactrian princess", Bactria, late 3rd millennium BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving. Note the size (6.5 cm).

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拍品估价:1,500 - 3,000 欧元 起拍价格:1,500 欧元  买家佣金:

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