Ancient Egyptian Alabaster Perfume Vessel

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About the Item

Beautifully Carved Alabastron Fine-grained banded alabaster, likely from Egypt Circa 6th-4th Century B.C. ‘‘And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at [Jesus’] feet behind him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment…’’ Gospel of Luke 7:37-38 A beautifully carved alabastron, with a slender ovoid body, finishing in a flared lip, and two lug handles with incised detailing around the neck - its elegance and clarity of form mark out this example as the work of an artist of particular talent and patience. This piece is made from fine-grained banded alabaster, with rich honey and ochre coloured veins, likely imported from Egypt, a well-known source for high-quality alabaster in the ancient world, coveted by artisans across the Mediterranean and beyond for its pearlescent sheen. Vessels such as this one were in use throughout antiquity to store precious perfumes and ointments, made from spices like frankincense, cinnamon and cardamom, preserved in sweet-smelling oils - perhaps calling to mind the scene recorded in the Gospels, in which a woman, traditionally presumed to be St. Mary Magdalene, anoints the feet of Christ with perfume, carried in an alabaster jar. Aside from its obvious aesthetic appeal, the reason this kind of stone was used for these vessels, as Pliny the Elder records in his Naturalis Historia, is because it would preserve the scents of expensive perfumes and unguents for longer than clay or glass. These highly-prized alabastra thus came to adorn the private chambers of many of antiquity’s wealthiest and most powerful figures, and have been found in royal burials across the Mediterranean and Near Eastern world, including that of the famous Pharaoh Tutankhamen. This piece comes from the collection of textile magnate Louis-Gabriel Bellon, who assembled one of the most important private collections of antiquities in nineteenth century France. Himself an archaeologist, trained by Auguste Terninck in 1874, he conducted numerous excavations, firstly in Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras and later in Rouen, expanding his collection of antique glasses, vases, and bronzes. After a triumphant exhibition of terracotta figurines from Tanagra at the Paris World Fair in 1878, Bellon began showcasing his collection to the French public. In 1884, he exhibited in Rouen, at the Palace of the Consuls, where his collection was celebrated as the most impressive component of the show. As well as a collector and industrialist, Louis-Gabriel Bellon was a painter, and a close friend of the important proto-Impressionist artist, Camille Corot. After his death, Bellon’s son Paul (1844-1928) continued to expand his collection and transformed the family home in Saint-Nicolas into a private museum worthy of his father’s taste and vision. Provenance: Collection of Louis-Gabriel Bellon (1819-1899), Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras and Rouen Thence by descent

Dimensions:
Height: 9.85 in (25 cm)Diameter: 2.76 in (7 cm)
Style:
Egyptian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Alabaster
Place of Origin:
Egypt
Period:
15th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
4th-6th Century BC
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 429761stDibs: LU1052233225202

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