This mirror case bears the allegorical signature of the renowned eighteenth-century lacquer artist `Ali Ashraf: “After Muhammad, `Ali is noblest.”
(Exhibit text, Islamic Galleries, June 2009, L. Akbarnia)
Octagonal mirror case consisting of a frame and a hinged cover with a mirror. As in most Persian lacquer, this piece is made of papier-mâché and is covered with painted designs against a black ground. The edges are decorated with minute repeated stylized leaf and flower patterns in gold on a black ground.Signed: Signed: "Zi ba'd-i Muhammad 'Ali Ashraf ast (after Muhammad is `Ali Ashraf)" - the allegorical signature of 'Ali Ashraf.
Silver handle from a large vessel. Form, a faceted body with curved end terminating in lion's head with open mouth. Lower end of handle terminates in palmette (lotus?) with two buds. Cast solid (?). Possibly related to 54.50.38.
Silver handle from a large vessel. Form, a bounding Ibex with front legs folded under body; horns in the round with tips attached to ears. Lower end of handle terminates in palmette (lotus?). Cast, with hollow channel through handle and opening at each end. Possibly related to 54.50.39.
Condition: Right horn mostly lost as is right ear. Otherwise excellent condition. Surface had been extensively cleaned before object was received in Brooklyn.
Condition: Right horn mostly lost as is right ear. Otherwise excellent condition. No certain traces of an original attachment to vessel could be detected.
Obv: Inscription. Largely obliterated bust of Anastasius I or Justin I. Rev: Large M, surmounted by a cross and flanked by stars. Beneath, A. In the exergue C(ON).
A simplified figure with a tall stalk-like torso and neck formed from one piece of clay with smooth rounded ball added to the front for the head. Two small triangular projections at the sides suggest arms. A small projection to the figure’s left suggests a breast. In contrast to the elongated body the hips are broad and rounded, the buttocks protruding sharply in back. The legs taper to tiny stump-like feet with rounded bottoms, making clear that the figure was not made to stand on its own.
A rhyton which takes the shape of a right leg and foot. Although the foot has little naturalistic detail, the leg swells out to evoke the round forms of the heavy calf muscles, and curves in near the top to indicate the back of the knee.
Dark grey marble head representing a Nubian with heavily curled hair. The head was broken from a larger sculpture near the base of the neck and a smaller portion of the right shoulder is preserved. The facial features are quite asymmetrical with the mouth being twisted somewhat to the right.
Condition: Right cheek, lower lip, outer corners of right eye and lid, hair and tip of nose are chipped; other small chips. There are several surface cracks in the face. One rounds around almost entire face cutting through the forehead and then down both sides of the face near the hairline. It is cut by another crack which runs through the right cheek and terminates at the left side of the mouth. A smaller crack runs through the left eye down into the lips. There are other smaller cracks. Encrusted dirt and other deposits in the hair.
A figure with a round almost disk-like face applied to the columnar form that serves as neck, head and top-knot or head gear. The face has a protruding triangular nose; two concentric circles surrounding a central dot form each eye. The unarticulated arms curve like loops from the shoulders; the hands, without indication of fingers, are held to the chest. Similarly, the legs have no joints or other details, simply descending with a slight inward curve from the hips.
A tall vessel with an oval, almost bag-like body, a somewhat elongated neck with an everted rim and a pair of narrow curving handles that spring from the oblique shoulder to the neck. The lower portion of the vessel splits into two legs with well-modeled feet. Details such as ankle bones and the arch of each foot are rendered by modeled forms rather than incised lines. The overall effect is that of a wine- or waterskin rather than a ceramic vessel. It is likely that this association was intentional- as the light porous ceramic body of the vessel allows water to evaporate slowly through the sides, thus slightly cooling the remaining contents.
Painted terracotta figure of seated female; highly stylized head with pinched nose, elongated, pointed top (so-called polos type), eyes indicated by two large black masses; thick neck resting on broad shoulders extending as tubular arms which bend inward and support two huge breasts; black dots covering upper torso, breasts painted brown; very thick abdomen covered with tan and black spots; legs shown as extremely thick thighs tapering quickly to pointed feet, legs decorated with thickly applied black bands, some with masses of tan paint in between; back of statuette with single line of red paint running up spine and terminating in two oblique lines at shoulder blades creating form resembling an arrow, mass of dark paint at base of figure's rear.
Four sided stela of the purification priest Sasopedu-iienhab. This is an unusual free standing stela with a flat top. All four sides and the top are inscribed and traces of grafitti and paint remain. The figures named on the stela are the priest, his mother Serefka, his father Neferakhu and their daughter Satserefka The name of the sculptor, Ankhtyfy son of Satsenneferu is also given. There is the lector priest Sehetepibresoneb son of Horemhet who commissioned the monument. Traces of paint.
Inscribed writing. Laureate head of Antoninus Pius to r. Rev.: Dionysos standing to l. holding cup in outstretched r., resting l. upon a thyrsos. Traces of the usual panthre at his feet may be distinguished faintly.