Lifesize Limestone Relief Head of a Woman from Palmyra on a Wood Base by Kichizô Inagaki

Culture: Roman/Palmyra

Period: 3rd-4th century A.D.

Material: Limestone

Dimensions: 24.5 cm high

Price: 40 000 Euro

Ref: 6642

Provenance: In France since the beginning of the 20th century due to the mounting. French private collection Charles Barbet (1890-1980). Thence in the Parisian private collection Nicole and Jean-Michel Thierry. Thence in the family estate. Accompanied by a French antiquities passport.

Condition: Unrestored

Description: Magnificent limestone relief head of a noble woman from Palmyra. She wears a filet that is wrapped multiple times and knotted over her forehead, which resembles to a turban and holds her wavy, in the centre parted hair. Additionally, a veil is pulled over the back of the head. Her face has a strong, authoritarian expression and should underline the noble descent of the woman. Her large eyes with deepened pupils look out from heavy lids. Above thin elegant brows are engraved. The mouth with a fine, wavy upper lip and thick lower lip. The nose is prominent, long and pointy. The prominent chin completes the fine features. On an old wood base of the famous Japanese artist Kichizô Inagaki (1876-1951), which has the stamp of the master at the back. Inagaki revolutionized in the 1st half of the 20th century the art of wood base, after arriving in 1906 in Paris. He first made his name with selling lacquered wood animal sculptures. More and more antiquities dealers entrusted their archaeological or tribal art objects for mounting. While regularly working for the art dealer Joseph Brummer, Kichizô ultimately met Auguste Rodin, who was fascinated by the subtility of his wood works. As a result, the renowned artistic carpenter created bases, which perfectly fit for Rodin’s sculptures. His talent also lies in the masterly wood treatment, which leave light graining in white, red, green and even silver. Kichizô Inagaki was also known for his furniture creations and in particular worked together with the architect and designer Eileen Gray.