Large Sabaean Alabaster Statue of a Bull

Culture: Sabaean

Period: 1st century A.D.

Material: Alabaster

Dimensions: 22.7 cm high; 26.8 cm long

Price: Sold

Ref: 6432

Provenance: From the private estate of the renowned Parisian art dealer François Antonovich (born 1934), acquired in the 1970s.

Condition: Unrestored, horns are worn since ancient times, but otherwise wonderfully preserved.

Description: Large and very impressive alabaster statue of a stylized bull. The strong animal stands on a high, rectangular plinth. The long, straight tail reaches to the plinth. The legs are straight, hooves and joints are accentuated. The semi-circular nape is very highlighted and underlines the power of the holy animal. On the forehead a raised triangle with a lozenge pattern, the eyes are with shell limestone inlays, the pupils are deeply pierced. The horns are rounded, below the massive head a long neck fold cascades down. Bulls, like ibexes, are symbolic animals of high, old south Arabian gods. See for the type “Jemen – Kunst und Archäologie im Land der Königin von Saba”, Wilfried Seipel (Hrsg.), No. 306 and No. 419.