Classical antiquity was dealing with two major functions of lion’s representations in stone: figures as funerary monuments and heads as waterspouts. The latter is frequent in the fountain house being attached to the wall; water from the pipe gushed from the open mouth of the animal (many representations on the black-figure vases capture that image). Similar heads were employed for the gutters of a building – its protruding concave tongue would have channeled the rainwater down.

Although the cavity below the muzzle indicates the wide open mouth, this piece did not serve as a water spout. The fragment still shows a considerable thickness of the marble in the back, that is why the idea of a statue is more plausible. Funerary statues usually show the animal crouching on his front legs, his head faces the viewer; sometimes the body is seen from the side and the head is turned to confront the viewer. Lions symbolized strength, courage, ferocity - their images, standing or crouching, were highly suitable as tomb guardians. They were placed in pairs at the corners of family grave plots as the monuments of Kerameikos, ancient cemetery of Athens, testify, or, in case of a royal tomb they would line the sides of the alley leading to the entrance of mausoleum or even be placed at the roof level as the reconstructions of the famous Halicarnassus Mausoleum suggest.

Greek sculptor from the Greek mainland could hardly see the real animal, and his knowledge was based on the tradition transmitted by the generations of artists. The features are far from to be naturalistic and they are highly stylized; especially remarkable is almost human expression of raised eyebrows and deep-set eyes. The open mouth shows individually carved teeth. Two rather small and round ears are seen between flamelike tufts going in different directions, the mane consisted of a few distinct rows.

CONDITION

Surface worn; remains of encrustation; a few scratches and chips in places; the tip of the nose and eyebrows are damaged.

PROVENANCE

Ex- US private collection, acquired in 1989

BIBLIOGRAPHY

COMSTOCK M. B., VERMEULE C. C., Sculpture in Stone, The Greek, Roman and Etruscan Collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, 1976, p. 52 no. 76.

GROSSMAN J. B., Greek Funerary Sculpture: Catalogue of the Collections at the Getty Villa, Los Angeles, 2001, pp.

KOZLOFF A., ed., Animals in Ancient Art from the Leo Mildenberg Collection, Mainz, 1981, pp. 158-160, nos. 138-139.

VERMEULE C. C., Greek Funerary Animals in American Journal of Archaeology 76, 1972, pp. 49-56.

WEICKERT C., Zu ionischen Löwen in Athenische Mitteilungen 71, 1956, pp. 145-148, figs. 78-79.

Bildnis in der Laube

1930

Watercolour and gouache on paper, on cardboard

31 cm × 24.3 cm (57.5 cm × 46.4 cm), 12.2 × 9.6 in. (22.6 × 18.3 in.)

Signed upper left 'Klee'

Inscribed on the cardboard left below '1930. 7.' – below right 'Bildnis in der Laube' - below left with pencil 'VIII'

PROVENANCE

Alfred Flechtheim, Dusseldorf (until 1931)

Daniel Henry Kahnweiler, Paris,

The Mayor Gallery, London (until 1935)

Marlborough Fine Art Ltd., London (1966)

Saidenberg Gallery, Inc., New York (since 1969)

Gallery Athénée AG, Triesenberg

Marlborough Fine Art Ltd., New York (1989)

Christie's, New York, 5 May 2010, lot 229

Private collection, Europe

EXHIBITED

Düsseldorf, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen in Zusammenarbeit mit Alfred Flechtheim, Paul Klee, 14 June - 6 July 1931, no. 222

London, The Mayor Gallery, Paul Klee, June 1935, no. 5.

London, Marlborough Fine Art Ltd., Painters of the Bauhaus, March - April 1962, no. 136 (illustrated)

London, Marlborough Fine Art Ltd., Paul Klee, June - July 1966, no. 37 (illustrated)

New York, Saidenberg Gallery, Paul Klee: A Retrospective Exhibition, 14 October - 29 November 1969, no. 34 (illustrated)

PUBLISHED

Paul Klee Foundation and the Kunstmuseum Bern (eds.), Paul Klee, Catalogue Raisonné, vol. 5: 1927-1930, Bern 2001, p. 414, no. 5123 (illustrated)

Boris Friedewald, Paul Klee, Life and Work, New York 2011, p. 146 (illustrated in colour)

Figurines of sitting, standing or reclining females with over-exaggerated, voluminous shapes (especially of buttocks, breasts, and bellies) are characteristic for the Neolithic culture and found in many areas of the Near East, the greater Mediterranean area, and also in Eastern, Central and Western Europe. They vary greatly in style (with a more naturalistic or schematic approach in modeling the body, head and facial features) and material: commonly executed in baked clay, they can also be of white or grey marble, semi-translucent alabaster, or colored stones.

Both the sophistication and distinctive level of abstraction define this idol as exceptional.  Its relatively large size, skillfully designed composition, harmonious proportions, and beauty of its rounded shapes are all a testament to the quality of the craftsmanship. The entire composition is built as a contrast of the upper and lower parts. The upper part has rather schematic and flattened volumes (head/neck, shoulders/arms, torso) which are positioned symmetrically and almost similar in size. The arms with spread rectangular shoulders are bent at a right angle so that the forearms create an exact parallel. The forearms are narrowing to a point that may suggest the hands of the idol which otherwise are not shaped individually. The unique shape of the forearms/hands was probably necessary for the accentuation of a gesture which points to the breasts, clearly positioned and seen as two small semi-spherical knobs (this gesture is in a great contrast to the so-called gesture of modesty in later Greek and Roman figures of the nude Aphrodite).

The tapering narrow torso echoes the combined shape of the neck/head. The manner of the ancient sculptor is based on the minimalistic approach for the anatomical detailing. The eyes were shaped by two oblique cuts to pre-baked clay. The prominently sculptured nose dominates the face. The hair, ears, and mouth are not indicated at all. Interestingly, the same modeling is found in both soft clay and hard marble figurines, so the lack of details as a characteristic was not due to the difficulties and limitations of sculptor’s tools and materials, but was a deliberate choice.

The lower part of the “idol” is distinguished by corpulent forms of hips, buttocks, and thighs with significantly diminished lower legs and omitted feet. Again, the shape unifies the parts and creates exaggerated and purely abstract forms, to which are not lacking a sense of sexual beauty (noticeable is the line separating the left and right legs which starts at the top of the pubic area and continues to the buttocks).

The “idol” has considerable tactile appeal and was apparently designed to be handled. One does not exclude the opportunity that such figures were manipulated in some way during certain public or private rituals and ceremonies. Similar statuettes, both of stone and clay, were discovered in shrines and houses. It is generally assumed that the steatopygous form relates such figures to the fertility goddess, the Great Mother, whose cult was primary in the religion of the early human civilization. She was considered as Mistress of life and death for human, animal, and vegetation.

CONDITION

Excellent state of preservation; complete except for the damaged tip of the proper left leg; surface weathered and worn; a few cracks, chips and dents, small hole in the back of the proper right leg.

PROVENANCE

Ex- H.J.B. private collection, Chicago;

Ex- Prominent US private collection, New York, collection assembled 1970s- 1990s.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BAILEY D., Prehistoric Figurines Representation and Corporality in the Neolithic, London, New York, 2005.

BAILEY D. W., The Figurines of Old Europe, in ANTHONY D. W., ed., The Lost World of Old Europe: The Danube Valley, 5000-3500 BC, New York, Princeton, Oxford, 2010, pp. 113-127, p. 229, nos. 18.

COHEN C., La femme des origins: image de la femme dans la préhistoire occidentale, Paris, 2003.

GETZ-GENTILE P., Personal Styles in Early Cycladic Sculpture, Madison, 2001, pp. 1-6, p. 173, pl. 1, figs. a1-3.

GIMBUTAS M. et al., Achilleion, A Neolithic Settlement in Thessaly, Greece, Los Angeles, 1989.

LESURE R. G., Interpreting Ancient Figurines: Context, Comparison, and Prehistoric Art, Cambridge, 2011.

LIGABUE G., ROSSI-OSMIDA G., eds., Dea Madre, Milan, 2007.

MINA M., Anthropomorphic Figurines from the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Aegean: Gender Dynamics and Implications of Early Aegean Prehistory, Oxford, 2008.

PAPATHANASSOPOULOS G., ed., Neolithic Culture in Greece, Athens, 1996, p. 293, no. 188; p.

WEINBERS S. S., Anthropomorphic Stone Figurines from Neolithic Greece, in THIMME J., ed., Art and Culture in the Cyclades in the Third Millennium B.C., Chicago, London, 1977, pp. 52-58, 208-218, 415-424, nos. 1-21.

Charming

1974

Gouache and ink on paper

73.6 cm × 109.2 cm (29 in × 43 in)

Signed and dated lower right 'Calder 74'

PROVENANCE

Galerie Maeght, Paris

Martin Lawrence Galleries, Los Angeles (1976)

Amalia Ricciardi (around 1981)

Private collection (by descent from the above, 2003)

Christie's, New York, 22 July 2015, lot 3

Private collection, Europe

EXPERTISE

The work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application no. A12782

This portrait of a Roman man is most impressive for the appearance of sculptural richness which characterizes the Roman portraiture of the Flavian period, and notably the time of the emperor Titus (79-81 A.D.) and his younger brother and successor Domitian (81-96 A.D.). The man’s shoulders are wrapped in a cloak, paludamentum, fastened by a circular clasp, fibula, at the right side. The marble fibula is incised with lines which are radiating from a small circle, probably reflecting the decoration of an originally enameled bronze or gold disk. The cloak with fibula often seen on the portraits of emperors was also worn by Roman military commanders. It well could be that the portraited person was an important Roman of high military rank. One can not miss the expression of self-assurance and dignity that accompany the prominently carved features and carefully arranged curly hair, which were all appropriate for the portarits of the emperors and court members.

The realistic rendering of his individual traits is quite remarkable. The large, life-size head represents a man who is no longer young as many deep forrows crossing his forehead and face specify; however, the full shapes and determined look would indicate him as a healthy and energetic person. His face has a pronounced dimpled chin, pressed lips flanked by deep folds, knobby nose, small and closely-set eyes under the heavy lids, a wart next to his right eye, a knitted and furrow brow and the ears positioned differently - the right one is seen protruding while the left is pressed. This natural asymmetry brings liveliness to the face; the man’s straightforward and demanding gaze attracts the viewer.

The thick eyebrows are detailed by incision lines, same is characteristic for the hair locks with additional drilling (also drilled are the eyes’ inner canti). The short hair is brushed forward from the top of the head, the strands above the forehead and temples are much longer creating a crown of curly locks; such a male hair style is characteristic for the late Flavian period and found in the portraits of both the emperors Titus and Domitian, even surpassing them in sculptural plasticity.

Another unique quality of this portrait is the original bust’s shape which is not often entirely preserved among ancient portraits. It was designed as a head with partially shaped shoulders and chest set on a low circular base. The composition of the head and the bust are slightly asymmetrical: the axis is shifted off the base’s center, and the base looks small in relation to the upper portion. Yet, the head is turned to its right thus balancing the masses of stone on the sides. Another interesting feature is revealed in the modeling of the bust’s back: the curving lines of the cloak’s folds continuing from the front over the left shoulder, as well as the groove of the upper edge of the base, are left unfinished behind leaving the entire surface of the back flat and roughly chiseled. This shows that the bust was made to be installed against the wall, most probably inside a niche, judging by the very low socle. The nape is also flat; however, the toolmarks indicate that this area was once developed: the unavailable part from the original block of marble was carved separately and attached to the surface by inserted iron pins (piecing was a regular practice in the Greek and Roman technique of stone carving). Considering the profile of the back side, one can assume that the bust would have been installed in a concave, shell-shaped niche. Such kinds of niches are known being set into the wall between relief panels with garlands and pilasters in important Roman monumental structures dedicated to private worship of family ancestors.

CONDITION

Complete except for the separately carved nape which is missing; the latter was originally attached with the help of three irons pins, still in place and corroded. Surface is weathered and has some encrustation and root marks. A few fractures, on top of the head, another crossing the right cheek and ear. A small dent on the left cheek; a chip on the left ear. A piece of the cloak and base at the lower front was broken and mended.

PROVENANCE

Ex- Plaza Art Galleries, Inc., New York, prior 1976;

Ex- Piero Tozzi Gallery, New York, acquired in 1976.

PUBLISHED

Sotheby's, New York, European Works of Art, January 12th-15th, 1991, no. 48, illus.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

On Flavian Period portraits, see:

COMSTOCK M.B., VERMEULE C.C., Sculpture in Stone, The Greek, Roman and Etruscan Collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, 1976, pp. 216-218, nos. 344-346.

JOHANSEN F., Catalogue Roman Portraits II, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhague, 1995, pp. 88-91, nos. 31-32.

KERSAUSON K. de, Musée du Louvre, Catalogue des portraits romains: Tome II, De l’année de la guerre civile (68-69 après J.-C.) à la fin de l’Empire, Paris, 1996, pp. 62-65, nos. 22-23.

La Fleur

1938

Oil on canvas

41 cm × 26.8 cm (16.1 in × 10.6 in)

Signed and dated lower right 'F. Leger. 38'

PROVENANCE

Galerie Louise Leiris (Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler), Paris

Private collection, Stockholm

Marisa Del Re Gallery, Inc., New York

Private collection, USA (acquired from the above in 1994)

EXHIBITED

Stockholm, Svensk-Franska Konstgalleriet, Retrospectiv Utstälning Fernand Léger, 21 May - 30 June 1948, no. 32

PUBLISHED

Georges Bauquier, Fernand Léger, Catalogue Raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, vol. 6: 1938-1943, Paris 1998, p. 14, no. 979 (illustrated in color p. 15)

Helle Erscheinung

1916

Oil on linen-finish paper laid down on cardboard

50.4 cm × 32.5 cm (19.8 in × 12.8 in)

Signed lower left 'A. Jawlensky'

Verso inscribed by Andreas Jawlensky beschrieben "1916 N.6"

PROVENANCE

Estate of the artist

Galerie Wilhelm Grosshennig, Dusseldorf (17 March 1966 acquired from the above)

Private collection (1966 acquired from the above)

Sotheby's, London, June 1983, lot 49

Private collection

Christie's, London, 28 November 1988, lot 43

Private collection

Christie's, London, 26 June 1996, Lot 257

Christie's, London, 7 October 1999, lot 118

Private collection, UK (acquired from the above)

Private collection, Europe (acquired from the above)

EXHIBITED

Geneva, Galerie Krugier, A. Jawlensky, February 1963, no. 26

PUBLISHED

Clemens Weiler, Alexej Jawlensky, Köpfe, Gesichte, Meditationen, Hanau 1970, probably no. 158 (titelt as 'Blaue Augen, rosa Mund')

Maria Jawlensky, Lucia Pieroni Jawlensky, Angelica Jawlensky, Alexej von Jawlensky, Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings, vol. II: Werke 1914-1933, Munich 1992, p. 114, no. 736 (illustrated)

Homage to the Square

1962

Oil on masonite

45.7 cm × 45.7 cm (18 in × 18 in)

Monogrammed and dated lower right 'A62'

PROVENANCE

Galerie Denise René, Paris

Private collection, Italy (acquired from the above)

Christie's, Paris, 7 June 2017, lot 6

Private collection, UK (acquired from the above)

EXPERTISE

The work is registered in the archive of the Josef and Anni Albers

Foundation, Bethany, Connecticut

PUBLISHED

The work will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné

being prepared by the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation

This garnet, sculpted in the shape of a shallow convex dish, is extraordinary both by its size and the purity of the stone. It is carefully and finely engraved on both sides.  A large cross with long arms covers most of the exterior surface. The extremities of the Cross’ arms worked as two commas circling a large pearl. The letters IC XC (Iesos Chrestos) are engraved on either side of the Cross. The standing figures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, draped in a mantle, are acclaiming on either side of the Cross. Peter carries a long shafted cross, whilst Paul is recognizable ichnographically:  an ascetic man, with a long beard and a bold skull.

The interior of the vessel is occupied by a figure of Christ, standing on a scabellum (a small stool) drawn in perspective, and holding a book in his left hand. He wears a long tunic and a draped mantle on his shoulders.  The right arm is covered by the mantle, thus preventing the familiar benediction gesture. The Christ is bearded and his long hair falls down upon his neck. A cross shaped halo surrounds his head.

A clever visual effect was devised by the artist with the interior side directed towards the light, and Christ appearing on the cross on the exterior. However, this visual effect is not active in the reverse; indeed, when looking through the interior, the cross is simply not visible behind Christ. 

Stylistically,  this figure of Christ can be assimilated to several other examples in glyptic works from the 9th and 10th century, such as the so-called ‘Anne’ double faced intaglio, at the Cabinet des Médailles, in Paris (Babelon 338).  Indeed, the image of Christ is represented in the same way, in the same attitude, but surrounded by Deesis (the Virgin and John the Baptist). Yet, another similar standing figure of Christ is also attested on an amethyst cameo from the Dumbarton Oaks collection (inv. 53.7).

Nonetheless, one should not discard an earlier dating for this work of art, notably due to the subject matter on the exterior side of the vessel (the acclamation of the Cross by Peter and Paul). It is in fact rare to encounter it in 10th century Byzantine iconography.  However, it is featured on a magnificent agate intaglio from the Wavel collection (Krakow, Poland, inv. IX 2607), which dates from the 5th- 7th century A.D. This is one of the finest and best kept intaglios from this period; the bust of Christ tops a large cross surrounded by a Greek inscription which reads: “Emmanuel”. Saint Peter and Saint Paul stand on either side acclaiming the Cross.      

The usage of such stone in this peculiar shape is also quite unique. A narrow ridge on the exterior rim of the vessel is proof that a second element could have been fitted onto the dish, thus enabling it to close, and creating a hermetically sealed space on the inside.

The shape, the iconography of the piece, as well the usage of the garnet all point to a very particular and rare vessel.  It is probably a dish that contained the holy-chrism (myron in the Oriental Church). This holy oil is used to mark the believers during Baptism, Confirmation (Unction in the East) and the ordination of Priests and Bishops. It is composed of pure olive oil, to which balsam (a substance extracted from a tree in Judea and Arabia) is added.

CONDITION

Entirely preserved; chips on the interior border to the left of Christ.

PROVENANCE

Formerly, Simkovic collection, collected in the 1970’s.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

DURAND J. et al., Byzance, l’art byzantin dans les collections publiques françaises, Paris, 1992, n° 184.

SPIER J., Late Antique and Early Christian Gems, Wiesbaden, 2007, nos. 575, 576.

GRIGG R., The Cross and Bust Image: some tests of a recent explanation, in Byzantinische Zeitschrift 72, 1979.

The pure geometric motif is combined in this piece with high precision of modeling. The direct use of such work is not known; it was described as shoulder-guard, wrist-guard, or arm-guard. This arm-guard was designed for the left arm and, most probably, made a pair with the right one. Executed by repeated hammering with annealing, the thick bronze wire is square in cross-section. The concentric spiral forms a perfectly discoid shape which terminates in central plate (the latter was made separately and affixed at the back); it is thought that the spirals served to deflect the blow of a sword. The spiral finials of fibulae or wire-spirals as bracelets, made of bronze or gold, wire were popular designs in the jewelry of the European Bronze age. This arm-guard employs the same design on a monumental scale; the piece is considerably heavy but the spiral preserves a complete flexibility.

A more reasonable hypothesis would be that such objects had a ceremonial and decorative purpose, as “parade weapons”, or that they were used exclusively in the funerary sphere. At a time when bronze was still rather rare and hard to work, owning a piece such as this one, with its massive weight and size, would have elevated the social status of its owner: only the noblemen, or the princes, would have been able to commission such extraordinary armbands.

CONDITION

Complete, dark green patina.

PROVENANCE

Ex- K.J. Hewitt collection, UK, late 1960’s;

Ex- US private collection, acquired on the London art market, November 2, 1994

BIBLIOGRAPHY

HÄNSEL A., B., Gaben an die Götter, Schätze der Bronzezeit Europas, Berlin, 1997, p. 184.

In Pursuit of the Absolute Art of the Ancient World: From the George Ortiz Collection, Berne, 1994, no. 71.

26741

The boat is composed of several elements (crew, keel, oars, tiller, etc.) that were made separately, then painted and assembled: it is currently possible that some elements were not placed back in their original location. The various parts of the structure were painted in ocher, brick red, white and black; the figures have tanned skin and dark hair, and wear a white loincloth.

The rounded keel with  raised stern was carved from a single block of wood, probably acacia wood like most similar examples. The eight rowers are seated with their backs directed to the bow, their hands on their knees: the oars were fastened to the gunwale (holes) and might have been inserted in the holes that are still visible in the hands of some of the rowers. The other two seated figures would have been co-pilots. The central mast supported the sails, while the other pole arranged vertically to the stern was used to fix the rudder(s). The man standing near the bow, holding an oar, may be the navigation assistant giving the pace to the rowers; the helmsman, who stood at the other end of the boat, next to the tiller, is now lost.

This model, which, unlike many surviving examples, shows a good artistic level, represents a travel boat similar to those which sailed on the Nile river: when traveling north, they would be going with the current, gaining even more speed with the rowers; when the ships were traveling south, they had the wind blowing in their direction and would use the sails.

The presence of such small-sized boats in Egyptian tombs can be traced back to the Middle Kingdom when the trend to replace the wall paintings in the mastabas (Old Kingdom) with models included in the funeral furniture was established: aside from ships, many three-dimensional wood items linked to contemporary artisanal (weaving, carpentry, gardening) or economic activities (bakery, brewery, butchery) were found. Like the painted scenes of the previous periods, these objects were intended to provide the deceased with the necessities for life in the next world: these models of boats, especially the travel boats, were also related to the biography of the owner and highlighted his important actions, which he continued after his death, such as the inspection of his properties, leisure boating or pilgrimages to various shrines.

CONDITION

Excellent condition; slightly faded paint in some areas; minor restorations and breaks (oar, helm, and sail)

PROVENANCE

Formerly, G. Willoughby collection (1866-1923); Ex- P. Vérité collection, Paris, 1920’s; thence by descent to the C. Vérité collection, France.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BERMAN L. M., BOHAC K. J., Catalogue of Egyptian Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Manchester, VA, 1999, pp. 202 ff.

Egypte, Moments d’éternité, Mainz am Rhein, 1997, pp. 96-97.

Reflets du divin, Antiquités pharaoniques et classiques d’une collection privée, Geneva, 2002, pp. 89-91.

REISNER G. A., Models of Ships and Boats, Cairo, 1913.