Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian faience statuette of the goddess Isis with the child Horus This ancient Egyptian faience statuette shows the goddess Isis (Aset) with her son Horus as a child, who sits on her lap. The depiction is among the most significant religious motifs of ancient Egypt and symbolizes motherhood, protection, divine lineage, and the renewal of life. The goddess is depicted seated on a throne and holding the young Horus in her arms. Isis wears a finely worked tiered three-part wig as well as a distinctive vulture-headed headpiece, marking her as a powerful female deity and protective mother. Above her head is the sign of Isis’s name: the stylized throne sign (Aset), which renders her name in Egyptian hieroglyphs. The sides of the throne are decorated with a scale-like pattern, a detail that highlights the careful craftsmanship of the figure and contributes to its artistic impact. The portrayal of Isis with the youthful Horus was particularly popular in ancient Egypt. According to Egyptian mythology, Isis protected her son Horus after the death of his father Osiris, thereby preserving the divine royal lineage. She became the emblem of the ideal mother, protector, and guarantor of rebirth. The statuette was made of Egyptian faience, a material often used for religious objects due to its luminous surface and its symbolic association with renewal, fertility, and eternal life. The blue-green glaze was closely related to ancient Egyptian concepts of renewal and rebirth. A beautiful example of religious art from the Third Intermediate Period and a testament to the enduring worship of Isis as mother and protectress in ancient Egypt. Provenance: - Private collection, Germany, acquired 1989 - Private collection, Germany, acquired 1992 - Private collection, Germany, gift 2009

Estimate:$7,281.52

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