Property from the Collection of the late Antonin and 🍨Christiane Besse
A South Arabian Alabaster Figure of a Woman, Qataban, 3rd Century B.C./1st Century A.D.
Auction Closed
December 7, 04:32 PM GMT
Estimate
18,000 - 22,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Pro꧟perty from the Collection of the late Antonin and Christiane Besse
A South Arabian Alabaster Fi💜gure of a Woman, Qataban
3rd Century B.C./1st Century A.D.
standing with extended forearms on an integral base inserted into a separate plinth, each engraved in front with one line of South Arabic inscription (Lbʾ / ḏt Ṯbw), and wearing a long close-fitꦺting tunic, the eyes w♋ith inlaid pupils, the eyebrows grooved, the ears pierced,
Total height 46 cm.
r🌳eputღedly from Beihan, probably from Hayd ibn 'Aqil, the necropolis of ancient Timna'
Antonin Besse (19🃏27-2016) and Christiane Besse (1928-2021), Aden and Paris, acquired in Yemen in the 1960s, collection𒀰 number CB40 (recorded for export to France by the Department of Antiquities, Aden State, in April and May 1967)
by descent to the present owner
Published
Yémen, Au pays de la reine de Saba (catalogue ofꦆ the exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, Oct. 25th, 1997, to Feb. 28th, 19💧98), Paris, 1997, p. 160
Yemen. Nel paese della Regina di Saba (catalogue of the exhibition at Palazzo Ruspoli, Fondazione Memmo, Rome, April 6th to June 30🌳th), Milan, 2000, p. 350, cat. no. 254
Sabina Antonini, La statuaria sudarabica in pietra (Repertori🌄o iconographico sudarabico, I), Paris and Rome, 2001, p. 81, C16, pl. 31
Alessandra Avanzini, ed., Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions I-III, Qatabanic, Marginal Qatabanic, Awsanite, Pisa, 2004, I, 709
CSAI (Cor🅘pus of South Arabian Ins⛦criptions) I, 709 = C 16: