Large Bactrian Alabaster Seated Monkey

Culture: Iran/Bactria

Period: 2nd millennium B.C.

Material: Alabaster

Dimensions: ca. 29 cm high

Price: 12 000 Euro

Ref: 6655

Provenance: Swiss private collection A. K., acquired prior to 1971. On 2 December 2011 acquired by the French art dealer Joseph Uzan, Gallery Samarcande, Paris. Until the end in their inventory. With a copy of the invoice of 2011.

Condition: Head professionally and without any missing parts reattached. Otherwise only minor wear and very beautifully preserved.

Description: Large and heavy alabaster statue of a stylized crouching monkey from Bactria. The meerkat with a round back and short hindlegs. The truncated front paws are deeply pierced and once had inlays of a different material. The neck is broad and tapering upwards. The spherical head with a flat, triangular snout, which is horizontally deepened in the front. The eyes are incised as dotted circles. The round back of the head with sculpturally protruding, rested ears. The statuette belongs to the group of stylized alabaster animal depictions dating to the Bactrian Bronze Age. See for an approximately similar, albeit smaller statue with Christie’s New York of 6 December 2007, lot 64. Very rare. Mounted.