Every Object Tells a Story, by Oliver Hoare by Pallas Athene

every object tell s a story

What is assembled here might look like a modern Cabinet of Curiosities, an assemblage of the exotic and curious from the four quarters of the world. There is an intention behind it, however, that goes beyond presenting a wide variety of curiosities. We are today linked up to all those four quarters, and while a huge amount of information is available to us, unlike to those who awaited the ships in the ports of Amsterdam, Genoa, Lisbon, London, Marseille, Seville or Venice, the horizon of what interests us seems to have shrunk. The art market is an interesting barometer of this shrinkage. The point is, therefore, that we can connect with the whole world on a much more profound level than can be gained from package touring, through the possession of, and study of even the most modest objects of different cultures. The purpose of collecting, as MoliĂ¨re might have put it, should not be limited to becoming rich through the investment in ones purchases, but to become enriched through the possession of what one has acquired.

The exhibition is open from 4 May to 5 July 2017 at The Lavery Room, 5 Cromwell Place, London SW7 2Je.

Click the cover image above to buy the print edition of this catalogue, available now at ÂŁ40.00 plus postage.

For more information please visit: www.everyobjecttellsastory.com

The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper Eden Phillpotts, A Shadow Passes, 1919

every object tell s a story

First published in 2017 by Oliver Hoare in association with Pallas Athene (Publishers) Ltd

Oliver Hoare Ltd 9 Dilke Street London sw3 4je +44 (0)207 835 1600 info@oliverhoareltd.com www.everyobjecttellsastory.com

Art direction, design & photography by Misha Anikst & Ben Strachan Printed in Belgium

Pallas Athene (Publishers) Ltd Studio 11a Archway Studios 25–27 Bickerton Road London n19 5jt +44 (0)207 272 4282 www.pallasathene.co.uk

All rights reserved The moral right of the author has been asserted. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the written permission of Oliver Hoare.

ac k now l edgem en ts

Recognizing the efforts of the many people who have brought this catalogue and exhibition together is not a formality, but an expression of my heartfelt thanks to them all. The previous exhibition at Fitzroy Square in 2015 was only possible because everyone involved came together as a team, like a well-oiled machine, that produced and then allowed the two-month long show to shine. This exhibition and catalogue, which are on a larger scale, could not have come about without the tried-and-tested teamwork created then. My first thanks are to my son Damian, who stepped in and handled much of the work-load when needed. While the text of the catalogue is mine, the way it looks is the creation of Misha Anikst and Ben Strachan, whose vision is most unusual: their superb photography suggests a lot without revealing too much. The exhibits will only drop the last veil in front of visitors to the exhibition. Ann Corne, my assistant, has kept me on the rails, not always an easy task. Colin Bowles, as usual, has mounted many of the exhibits with great sensitivity. Charles Marsden-Smedley’s design this time is more in evidence and ingenious, since Sir John Lavery’s studio does not lend itself to the type of display we had at Fitzroy Square. Kate Cooper has created our internet presence with great skill. To my cousin Richard Hoare, painter; Ricardo Paz and his wife Belen; Christopher Hodsoll; Andy Rinous of Chelsea Movers; Catherine Blake, the invaluable editor; and Alexander Fyjis-Walker, my co-publisher; my great thanks to you all. The fact that the light we have lit is not hidden under a bushel is due to the sympathetic (as in magic) skills of Matthew Paton, with the help of Cymbaline Kellett. I also am grateful for the wise advice provided by Professor Osman Bopearachchi, Director of CRNS in Paris, and advisor to UNESCO; for the unique scientific skills of Dr. Jack Ogden; and to Manijeh Bayani for her unrivalled understanding of inscriptions in Arabic and Persian. Annemarie Jordan Gschwend of the Centro de Historia d’Aquem d’Alem-Mar (Lisbon), Marcus Pilz in Munich, and Hermione Waterfield in London, have helped unravel some of the mysteries of these objects. Many insights have come from friends and collectors. When Charles Marsden-Smedley introduced me to 5 Cromwell Place I was astonished to find it inhabited by The Storytellers. It seemed the happiest of coincidences, and from the beginning Martin Clarkson and his team have made us feel very much at home. The building itself has tales to tell, a small sample of which book-ends this catalogue. I also thank the various collectors who have kindly made it possible to publish and show great treasures. There is obviously no commercial purpose to their loans, but it has given me the opportunity to expand the scope of the exhibition. I have enjoyed and learned a lot from working with all these objects, and I hope the experience is transmitted. My wife, Diane, claims that preparing all this has earned me the epithet: oliver@elsewhere.com. Oliver Hoare, 2017

i n t roduc t ion

What is assembled here might look like a modern ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, an assemblage of the exotic and curious from the four quarters of the world. There is an intention behind it, however, that goes beyond presenting a wide variety of curiosities. We are today linked up to all those four quarters, and while a huge amount of information is available to us, unlike to those who awaited the ships in the ports of Amsterdam, Genoa, Lisbon, London, Marseille, Seville or Venice, the horizon of what interests us seems to have shrunk. The art market is an interesting barometer of this shrinkage. The point is, therefore, that we can connect with the whole world on a much more profound level than can be gained from package touring, through the possession of, and study of even the most modest objects of different cultures. The purpose of collecting, as Molière might have put it, should not be limited to becoming rich through the investment in one’s purchases, but to become enriched through the possession of what one has acquired. The considerable bibliography involved in the composition of this catalogue has not been included because of concerns that it would make an already fat catalogue obese. It is available to anyone interested, as well as precise references for many of the pieces described.

‘The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.’ Albert Einstein

‘God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.’ Numbers 23:22 (King James Bible)

1 t h e u n i c o r n ’s h o r n Northern Europe, ad 1427–1618 Size: 2 m, 7 cm long Before the mid-16th century, everyone knew that horns such as this belonged to unicorns. The existence of unicorns is already stamped on Indus Valley seals of the mid-3rd millennium bc, and continued to be recorded throughout Antiquity, the Middle Ages and beyond, in images, literature and poetry. And then, quite suddenly, belief in their existence faded. A sign of this occurred at the Council of Trent (1545–63), which deemed the representation of the unicorn as a symbol of the Incarnation inappropriate, on the basis that nobody believed in their existence any longer. This is a bit rich considering the myths that the Catholic Church continues to peddle – Virgin Birth, Resurrection, Son of God, etc. – and this reverse-Dawkins-like attitude has certainly returned to bite them in the backside in recent times. It is axiomatic that you cannot perceive something in which you do not believe. As the unicorn in Alice in Wonderland said to Alice: ‘I’ll try and believe in you if you believe in me.’ And it is typical of the arrogance of modern scholarship to decide to deny the existence of a creature that has been familiar to many for thousands of years, thereby wilfully impoverishing our imagination. There is thus a case to be made that the imagination is more important, and more enduring, than science, and it is our duty to make sure that this is so. In 1577 Sir Martin Frobisher presented Queen Elizabeth I with the horn of a ‘Sea-Unicorn’, at the time much rarer than the land unicorn, that he brought back from his search for the North-West Passage. According to Herman Melville, this horn hung in Windsor Castle for a long time. The idea that such horns

were born of fish had already been promulgated in an illustration by Olaus Magnus in 1555, and further promoted by the Danish zoologist Ole Worm in 1638. Since then the improbable idea that such horns are the teeth of whales has prevailed, and unicorns have gradually disappeared. But Ole Worm also declared that Tradescant was an idiot, so his views can be taken with a few grains of salt. And this is despite all the historical evidence. Images abound from ancient China and Iran, although the only feature common to the Kylin and the beast represented at Persepolis is the single horn. An Egyptian papyrus from the 2nd millennium bc in the British Museum shows a unicorn playing chess with a lion. The Greeks categorized the unicorn under natural history, not as myth, as the writings of Aristotle, Strabo, Pliny the Elder and others show. The first written description we know dates from c. 400 bc, and the first illustration to appear in Europe is in the margin of a manuscript by Cosmas the India-Farer, the original of which was written c. ad 1000. Thereafter we come across a legion of believers, including Marco Polo, Piero della Francesca, Petrarch and Shakespeare. The Danish Kings sat on the ‘Unicorn Throne’, and bishop’s croziers of unicorn horn can be seen in church treasuries across Europe. Its medicinal properties, still valued in the 18th century, were probably responsible for the shaved tip of this horn. Leonardo da Vinci wrote the following: ‘The unicorn, through its intemperance and not knowing how to control itself, for the love it bears to fair maidens forgets its ferocity and wildness; and laying aside all

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fear it will go up to a seated damsel and go to sleep in her lap, and thus the hunters take it.’ And he knew a thing or two. Unicorns were abundant in Muslim lands. They were called karkadan, and fine prancing images can be found on enamelled glass, inlaid bronzes, stone reliefs, ivory caskets, in miniature paintings and even on carpets, throughout the Middle Ages, and even later, since Muslims were not impressed by the Council of Trent. Not only that, they also figure in the encyclopaedic writings of Ibn Bakhtishu and al-Qazvini, who describe in detail their peculiarities and habits. Several varieties bounded across the land of Iran, bull-bodied in the East, and equine in the West of the type familiar to Europeans. To my knowledge their horns were not gathered there, and had no ecclesiastical or medicinal associations. Rams’ horns adorn many shrines in Central Asia, but never the horn of a unicorn. Probably, like all the great classical carpets of Iran, they were traded with greedy and well-informed Westerners. And today, their graceful traces are as invisible there as they are in Europe. The most splendid example is in the Imperial Treasury in Vienna, for which a quite staggering price was paid. It stands 2m 43cm high, and is mounted on a bejewelled base. The Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I (1558–1564) declared that the two most important items among the fabulous riches of the Imperial Treasury were this horn and the Holy Grail. I agree with him about the horn, but have my doubts about the Grail, which is a typical Byzantine agate bowl of the 4th century ad. Furthermore, were one to accept all the Holy Grails scattered

around – Joseph of Arimathea’s, variously located in the UK, (including at Aberystwyth and Rosslyn Chapel), San Lorenzo Treasury, Genoa, etc. – one would have to assume that the Last Supper was a wild party. Lorenzo the Magnificent had a horn of similar size to this one, and his great-grandson, Alessandro Duke of Florence, wore a piece of it on a gold chain as protection against poison. It must have worked, since he was assassinated with a dagger. Never underestimate the unicorn. He features prominently, after all, on the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, and has been there since 1603, rather bucking the trend initiated at the Council of Trent. Given the enticing but improbable task of choosing one work of art above all others to live with, the five ‘Lady and the Unicorn’ tapestries in the Musée de Cluny in Paris must be a contender. So beautiful, mysterious and enchanting. Many people who sit in parks have noticed the uncanny resemblance that dogs have to their owners. I have an old friend, a poet and writer, who so embodies the unicorn that I can have no doubt about their existence. He, like the unicorn, also has a tendency to want to lie down with his head in a lady’s lap. His explanation for their current invisibility is: ‘Every time someone fails to believe in unicorns, a unicorn fades away.’ If only our attitude could change, there would be as many unicorns in Richmond Park as there are now deer, and a UNICORNUCOPIA would become available to us all. A radiocarbon dating measurement report from RCD Lockinge is available.

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2 t h e f o s s i l i z e d t i p o f a u n i c o r n ’s h o r n Probably Morocco, 350 million years ago Size of stone panel: 52 × 32 cm, Ormolu frame It is curious how the unicorn-deniers inevitably attribute the horns from different eras to sea-creatures: usually the narwhal, or in this case a sea-shell. In search of more information, I consulted the expert on extinct species, Errol Fuller, who replied thus: ‘It looks to me (I can’t be entirely sure from the photo – so I’d need to see it) like a slice from a fossil Othoceras – a very ancient creature that lived (off the top of my head) about

350 million years ago. These fossils are sometimes found in Morocco.’ Of course Errol is probably right, but I prefer to think there were unicorns in Morocco long before Homo sapiens was around, and unaffected by whether we were going to believe in them, or not. Provenance: Jean-Claude Ciancimino, London

3 t h e s i lv e r - c a p p e d t w i s t e d s e c t i o n o f a n a n c i e n t u n i c o r n ’s h o r n Northern Europe, ad 1526–1698 Size: 42 cm long It is probable that at one time this section of a horn was preserved as a precious relic in an ecclesiastical treasury. Apart from representing the Annunciation, such horns were believed to act as an antidote to disease, the Evil Eye and other such inconveniences. Belief in these therapeutic qualities are still recorded throughout the 17th century, and probably later, long after the

Council of Trent had banned them from churches, on the basis that by then nobody believed in the existence of unicorns. Its dynamic torque is most unusual. Provenance: Jean-Claude Ciancimino, London A radiocarbon dating measurement report from RSD Lockinge is available.

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4 a n i r o n u n i c o r n ’s h e a d Indus Valley, second half 3rd millennium bc Size: 4.5 cm long According to scientists, the Siberian Unicorn, Elasmotherium sibiricum, was already extinct 350,000 years ago. However, a skull found recently in Kazakhstan proves they were still around a mere 29,000 years ago. Such a margin of error is a reminder to be wary of scientific opinion when dealing with something as delicate as the unicorn. Iron-smelting can be traced back to c. 2600 bc in the Indus Valley, which was probably where the technology was first developed.

The model for this unicorn is a type familiar from seals and terracotta figurines found at Harappa and other Indus Valley sites. European unicorns invariably have bodies like horses, while those further east have the bodies of bulls with the horn pointing upwards, rather than projecting forwards. Among the seals of Mohenjo-daro, 60 per cent show unicorns, and those from Harappa, 46 per cent. The area was teeming with unicorns.

5 a bron z e figu r e of w i nged pega sus Greece, early 5th century bc Size: 7 cm long The Earl of Gloucester in King Lear said about his bastard son Edmund that ‘there was good sport at his making’. Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology, was the result of a night of passion between Poseidon and Medusa that must have been a much trickier encounter. Later he became the steed of the hero Bellerophon. Horses with wings appear in various mythologies – Buraq, for example, who carried the Prophet Muhammad on

the Mi’raj – but it would be difficult to make a case for their existence outside the poetic imagination, or the transposition of revelation, any more than would be possible for the existence of centaurs. Nevertheless, their roles through mythology seem far more meaningful than the daily reporting of celebrity, fashion, even wars and their attendant atrocities.

6 t h r e e i n d u s va l l e y s e a l s w i t h u n i c o r n s Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 3 × 3 cm; 4.5 × 4.7 cm; 3.6 × 3.8 cm Steatite and terracotta

7 c h i n e s e s i lv e r u n i c o r n ( k y l i n ) Probably Song dynasty, 11th–12th century ad Size: 7 × 6.5 cm While European unicorns had horses’ bodies and Middle and South-East Asian unicorns were built like bulls, their Chinese relations were altogether more fanciful, a bit rhino-like, and clearly capable of some surprising tricks.

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8 j ea n du v et (1485–1570) The Unicorn Purifies the Water with his Horn Plate: 22.6 × 40.2 cm Sheet: 23.5 × 40.9 cm A very rare engraving, printed in grey-black, c. 1545–60, from ‘The Unicorn Series’, a very good silvery impression of the second (final) state, printing with clarity, on paper with a Grapes watermark (Eisler, Bessier 68). Duvet signed his prints emblematically, with the bird plucking its down (‘duvet’, lower right). This lyrico-mystical engraving is fascinating on many different levels. Firstly, for the personality of its creator, Jean Duvet, a name virtually unknown today in spite of his great accomplishments. He is the earliest known French engraver, having been trained as a goldsmith by his father in Dijon. For his exceptional skills in both these areas he received the royal patronage of kings François I and Henri II. He was in charge of the complicated pageantry celebrating the triumphal entry into Langres of François I in 1533. Fortress design was another of his specialities, and his mark remains in the striking ramparts of Langres and Geneva. Among his other skills were die-making and metal-casting. His fame as an engraver rested on two series of prints: the twenty-three plates of The Apocalypse, for which he was granted the Privilege by Henri II in 1556; and the six large engravings of ‘The Unicorn Series’. Already, in 1666, Michel de Marolles, the first cataloguer of Duvet’s oeuvre, referred to him as ‘The Master of the Unicorn’. Secondly, for the environment in which it was produced, and for which it is a giant rebus, referencing the complexity of the humanistic culture of Renaissance Europe. The new ideas that flowed from Marcilio Ficino’s Platonic Academy in Florence, from Pico della Mirandola’s Nine Hundred Theses, from Trithemius of Sponheim, Johann Reuchlin, Paracelsus, and Cornelius Agrippa – among many others – introduced Greek philosophy, alchemy, Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, Sufi mysticism and Cabbala into the mainstream of European thought, establishing for the first time an intellectual forum outside the Church. Most of those involved in this enterprise were part of the Church, participating in the debate about the

Reformation instituted by Martin Luther, and, until the Counter-Reformation unleashed by the Council of Trent in the mid-16th century, were largely tolerated within the Catholic Church. The public burning of Giordano Bruno in Rome in 1600 signalled a brutal end to tolerance. Ficino had inspired Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian and Dürer, and this inspiration, along with the influence of those who had built upon it, provided the intellectual fabric of Renaissance France, within which artists such as Ronsard, Rabelais and Duvet flourished. This was no New-Age-type phenomenon but a deep enquiry into the purpose of human life and its meaning. They did not reject religion, but tried with new tools to expand their understanding beyond the sterile doctrines of the Church. Jean Duvet was a deeply religious man, Catholic in his upbringing but drawn to Luther, as were most artists of his generation. His solution was to remain a member of the Catholic Church, while keeping his connection with the communities of the Reformation. When the situation became too complicated he retired to Geneva, 80 miles from Dijon, where he had work designing fortifications and coinage. His stance is interesting and subtle, suggesting that he was able to avoid the common habit of accepting or rejecting one doctrine or another, precisely because another possibility had opened up in the humanistic environment in which he lived and worked. Jean Adhemar wrote in his preface to Colin Eisler’s The Master of the Unicorn (New York, 1979): ‘We are amazed that Duvet was not rediscovered by the Symbolists in the nineteenth century. Probably, this is due to the extreme scarcity of his works. A Huysmans or a Robert de Montesquiou would have pronounced him “l’inextricable graveur” as they have characterized Rodolphe Bresdin for a similar amalgam of malaise and enchantment.’ Earlier in the 19th century, William Blake and Samuel Palmer must have been aware of Jean Duvet’s magical creations.

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9 h a ns ba l du ng gr i en Sleeping Groom and Sorceress Woodcut, 1544, Size: 34 × 20.1 cm With thread margins as trimmed on the black border line, and with border line preserved all around. A good, dark impression of this extremely scarce woodcut. Ex. Coll. Wihelm Heinrich Ferdinand Karl von Lepell (Lugt 672 verso); and Kupferstickkabinett des Staatliche Museen, Berlin (Lugt 1606 verso). Hans Baldung Grien (1484–1545) was born into a Swabian family of prominent intellectuals, and at the age of eighteen was apprenticed to Dürer, whose most gifted student he became, especially as a printmaker. He became known as ‘Grien’ from his habit of dressing in green, which is supposed to have been a reference to witches, ‘grienhals’ in German. The mysterious

subject-matter of many of his engravings, such as this one, would support the idea. Introducing images that reflected the occult theology of the German Renaissance had a major impact on print-making in the first half of the 16th century, and his imagery has remained influential ever since. His residence in the Free Imperial City of Strasbourg gave him unusual freedom to move beyond conventional themes and religious subject-matter. The horse in this image is a stroppy stallion, while a unicorn appears mysteriously in the escutcheon above the window.

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1 0 a n e l e p h a n t m a d e f r o m d r i f t wo o d Cornwall, 1920s Size: 70 cm high This Elephant came from the overgrown garden of an old Cornish estate, and its finder kept it for twenty years, naming him Malcolm. Eventually he sold Malcolm, probably because his upkeep became too much, and his new owners changed his name to Oskar. Anyone who has spent summers by the seaside knows the magic of what can be picked up along the shore. As the summer

stretches on, curiously shaped and sea-smoothed bits of wood, polished pebbles and mysterious other flotsam line the window-sills. When the time to depart arrives, difficult decisions have to made about what can be taken home. When I met Oskar I realized what opportunities I had missed, collecting stuff and doing nothing with it. Unlike Oskar’s creator, who has provided a lesson in imaginative transformation.

11 t h e t usk of a h i ppopota mus Not illustrated Africa, 19th century Size: 40 cm across Old collection label: ‘Hippo’s Teeth’ This tusk has nothing to do with unicorns, obviously, but it makes the point that like elephants and rhinos, the hippo too will become extinct, erased by rapacious man. And then people will stop believing in them, and instead re-interpret their remains, probably as some kind of fish, as has happened with unicorns. The latter, of course, have disappeared because of a general lack of belief in their existence, which is a different cause from what will happen to elephants, rhinos and hippos.

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1 2 t h e t h igh bon e of a n el eph a n t Africa, 16th–17th century Size: 96.5 cm long This large elephant femur is apparently the one shown in Charles Wilson Peale’s self-portrait in his museum, painted in 1822, and now in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. This is possible because Peale was unsuccessful at obtaining government funding for a permanent home for his collection, and after his death it was sold to the showmen P.T. Barnum and Moses Kimball, and subsequently dispersed. The bone itself could be from as early as the 16th century, according to a carbon-dating test. Finding that he had a talent for painting, Peale studied under John Hesselius and John Singleton Copley, until his friends raised enough money for him to travel to England where he took instruction from Benjamin West for three years. On his return to America, he became involved in the War of Independence, and moved to Philadelphia, the capital of the nascent national government. He befriended and painted many of the historic figures of the time; his full-length portrait Washington at Princeton, painted in 1779, sold at auction for $21.3 million in 2005, a record price for an American portrait. Peale was a Renaissance man, since apart from painting he was an inventor, and expert in diverse fields, such as taxidermy, carpentry, optometry, dentistry and shoe-making. His greatest contribution was to natural history. He organized the first US scientific expedition in 1801, and collected botanical, biological and archaeological specimens on a colossal scale. He displayed the first mastodon skeleton, which he found in New York State, and by adopting Linnaean taxonomy he distinguished his collection and its purpose from the ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ mentality of his predecessors. He had sixteen children with his first two wives, all of whom were named after painters he admired. Rembrandt became a famous portrait painter, and Titian a pioneer in photography. Peale’s slave, Moses Williams, was also trained in the arts while growing up in the Peale household, and later became a professional silhouette artist. There is a strain of unusual enlightened curiosity embedded in Philadelphia. It is embodied today by the Mütter Museum, part of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, since its collections were

donated by Dr Thomas Dent Mütter in 1858, for biomedical research and education. Its weirdness, to those not accustomed, is summed up in an article in The New York Times in 2005: ‘There are jars of preserved human kidneys and livers, and a man’s skull so eaten away by tertiary syphilis that it looks like pounded rock. There are dried severed hands shiny as lacquered wood, showing their veins like leaves; a distended ovary larger than a soccer ball; spines and leg bones so twisted by rickets they’re painful just to see; the skeleton of a dwarf who stood 3 feet 6 inches [1.07 m] small, next to that of a giant who towered seven and a half feet. And “Jim and Joe,” the green-tinted corpse of a two-headed baby, sleeping in a bath of formaldehyde.’ The Mütter American Giant is the tallest skeleton on exhibit in North America. Among other curiosities: a malignant tumour removed from President Grover Cleveleland’s hard palate; the conjoined liver from the famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker; a piece of tissue removed from the thorax of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln; a section of the brain of Charles J. Guiteau, the assassin of President James A. Garfield; the Chevalier Jackson Foreign Body Collection; slides of Albert Einstein’s brain. Most intriguing is the Hyrtl Skull Collection, 139 skulls gathered by the Viennese anatomist Joseph Hyrtl. While it is officially given that the purpose of the collection was to show the diversity of cranial anatomy in Europeans, its original purpose was to determine if human criminality could be determined by the shape of a person’s skull. When I visited the Museum over 40 years ago, each skull had a neat label giving the name of the criminal, with a description of the crime and the date it was committed. Like the patch of skin on Mary Magdalene’s skull in the crypt of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, they have been discreetly removed. The presence of Marcel Duchamps’ extraordinary last work, Étants donnés, in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, viewed through two peepholes in an old Spanish door, is a more recent manifestation of the strange spirit that hovers over Philadelphia. Provenance: by repute, Charles Wilson Peale (1741–1827), Philadelphia A radiocarbon dating measurement report from RCD Lockinge is available.

Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Gift of Mrs. Sarah Hanison (The Joseph Hanison, Jr. Collection)

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13 e l e p h a n t i n s t o n e Mesopotamia, late Uruk/Jemdet Nasr period, 3,400–3000 bc Size: 15 cm high, 20 cm long Veined limestone The rear of this Elephant is quite as expected, with sturdy legs and a tail. Further forward, however, his aspect changes. Instead of ears there are carved spirals, as if his tusks have been conveniently folded back. And then his pillar-like forelegs combine with his trunk to become an architectural feature. The trunk is pierced laterally, perhaps for a ring. How was it, one can’t help wondering, that an elephant could be so successfully transformed into architecture? Was it a sculptor 5,000 years ago translating a traveller’s tale; or had he seen one on his own travels, and forgetting its details remembered only the impression it made? Strangely, there are elephant figures in stone from an even earlier period from the same general area, so far unpublished, which are more lifelike, with big flappy ears,

seemingly observed from a real creature. So what happened to make an elephant architectural? (A miniature version in reddish limestone exists, exhibiting the same architectural features. See: D. Adams, E. Bunker, T. Kawami, R. Morkot, D. Tawil, When Orpheus Sang, An Ancient Bestiary, Les Livres d’Art, 2004, no. 26.) The reconstruction of the temple of the god An at Uruk, the religious shrine to which this elephant was most probably dedicated, provides an unexpected correspondence. It is like looking at him once he had completed his transformation into a building. We are used to the ‘total work of art’ concept in the 20th century, for example with Bauhaus, Art Deco or Dalcroze, but less used to uncovering a manifestation of it 5,000 years ago.

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1 4 zh u l ong Hongshan culture, North-East China, 3,500–3000 bc Size: 19.5 cm high Limestone Zhulong means ‘pig-dragon’. It is a mysterious emblem of the neolithic Hongshan culture, for which nobody so far has an explanation. They were carved in stone, and more rarely in jade, over a large area, from Inner Mongolia to Liaoning. Because stone does not talk, multiple theories have been put forward as to what they represent. They are the product of a shamanic society, but beyond that we have no idea. Nevertheless, the mystery of a potent form remains compelling. Every phase of the nomadic peoples of Central Asia has produced thrilling images, most obviously from the Animal Style of the Scythian peoples of the 1st millennium bc. But there are also many earlier layers of nomadic culture of which we only get rare glimpses. The Hongshan culture offers us one.

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15 ‘ t h e h o r s e t h a t s w e a t s b l o o d ’ Tang Dynasty, China, ad 618–907 Size: 22 × 22 cm Bronze In 139 bc the Han Emperor of China Wudi (r. 141–87 bc) sent Zhang Qian, a palace attendant, as his envoy to the Yuezhi confederation in the Ili Valley, to seek an alliance against the Xiongnu nomads who so troubled his western borders. The account of his travels that still survives describes a most extraordinary odyssey. He was intercepted by the Xiongnu, whose leader Junchen Chanyu treated him with courtesy, providing him with a wife but not letting him go. Ten years passed before he could make his escape and continue on his

quest, arriving back at the Chinese court in 126 bc. On his way he went through the Ferghana Valley, and there saw the ‘Horses that Sweat Blood’. When the Emperor heard about them he realized that military superiority depended on such horses. It took more than a decade of military campaigns, and construction of a line of fortresses throughout Xinjiang, to assure a supply. The Emperor Wudi commissioned the building of a mausoleum for his most illustrious general Huo Qubing, in front of which stands a life-size horse like this in stone.

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1 6 a ho o p o e f ly i n g a b o v e a n or i en ta l l a n dsca pe Attributed to Aert Schouman (1710–1792) Oil on canvas Size: 38 × 38 cm This arresting image of a hoopoe in flight is attributed to the renowned ornithological painter Aert Schouman, who specialized in pictures of birds in the manner of Hondecoeter and Weenix, working in Dordrecht, Middelburg and The Hague. Schouman began his painting career as a pupil of Adriaan van der Burg, to whom he was apprenticed for eight years, before leading, firstly, the Dordrecht Guild of St Luke from 1751, then The Hague Drawing School.

The presence of a hoopoe is traditionally associated with good fortune, most eloquently expressed in Fariduddin Attar’s The Conference of the Birds. But since these birds do not like the climate of the British Isles, all we have is the National Lottery. Provenance: Raphael Vals Gallery Private collection, Belgium

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17 m i c h a e l c o o p e r Unicorn 2016 Size: 35 cm high; 58 cm long, White onyx For the exhibition in 2015, Michael sculpted a Dodo in white marble to join the other Dodos that came to the show. Underneath the Dodo he had thoughtfully carved an egg, and we are still hoping for a happy result. With Unicorns it is less straightforward to imagine how to propagate their race in these hard times of disbelief. However, his brilliant choice of white onyx provides the perfect texture for a creature that has to flit between its wilfully ignored physicality and its existence in the imagination alone, and we are now one step closer to having them grazing on our lawns as a result.

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t h e i n d u s va l l e y Excavations in the 1920s revealed ancient cities of vast proportions with architectural planning unparalleled in the ancient world, and a production of unique artefacts. The cities were raised on large platforms above the flood plain, and had wells, bathing rooms, drainage and granaries. These cities were different from those in Mesopotamia and Egypt; they had no palaces, no temples or walls. They seem to have evolved from local cultures that had roots extending back thousands of years to the earliest farming and pastoral communities. People decided how to organize their settlements, how to interact with other communities, how to resolve conflicts, what to do with surplus food and wealth, how to pass on knowledge from one

generation to the next. These choices created its own particular framework. So far 1,500 settlements have been discovered over an area of 680,000 square kilometres. The building of these cities between 3500 and 2600 bc coincides with city-building in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and a millennium before something similar happened in China. The orientation of the Indus cities along cardinal directions reflects precise astronomical observations of the movements of the sun, stars and moon. In Mesopotamia, writing was invented c. 3300 bc to keep accounts and record trade. The Indus script came a few hundred years later, clearly not for accounting, but it remains inscrutable to this day in its frustratingly mute elegance.

m eh rga r h This remarkable collection of terracotta figurines and other artefacts from the Indus Valley is unique in private hands, as far as we know, and ranks alongside the holdings of the museums of Islamabad and Karachi. On first acquaintance the figurines might seem simple, too naïve to hold the attention, but on closer inspection they become fascinating, because of the story they have to tell – like certain people encountered in life. A few only are illustrated and described here; a full listing, with dimensions and dates, is to be published separately. The site of Mehrgarh, from where these figurines come, first came to light in 1920, and was excavated by the French Archaeological Mission under the direction of Jean-François Jarrige, from 1974 to 1986, and again from 1996 to 1997. By the Bolan river at the base of a major pass, the settlement of Mehrgarh dates back to 6500 bc; the figurines were produced in the first half of the 3rd millennium bc, when it was a mature settled community, cultivating grain and breeding animals.

Around 4000 bc, we emerged from the Neolithic period of our long evolution into the society of modern humanity, living together in large communities, establishing cities and developing the increasingly sophisticated infrastructure that was required. These precious relics are the witnesses of this transition, and are filled with meaning far beyond what their modest forms superficially exhibit, for those who are interested in what they transmit. Learning how to use the special types of earth from the banks of the Indus River, the potters of Mehrgarh achieved a refined surface finish, which gave a thin silky skin to their wares. They also learned how to extract five colours from minerals. (The pottery of Susa at this time was noticeably less refined.) Three types of clay are attested so far: light red, grey, creamy brown. They are all represented in this collection, along with a wide variety of the designs typical of the Indus Valley civilization.

1 8 t wo p o l i s h e d s t o n e s y m b o l s o f s e x ua l i t y Indus Valley, c. 5000 bc Size: 15.7 cm, and 12 cm The larger of the two is clearer about what it represents. The rearing serpent’s head is the male sex. Below, on the curve, are the breasts of an adolescent girl, and the vaginal cleft opens along the back. The smaller stone may be a stylized version of the same, or it may be indicating potential sexuality; no breasts as yet, and an undeveloped serpent’s head.

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19 r e m a r k a bl e i nsc r i bed c h a l c edon y e a r-l obe w eigh t Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, c. 3000 bc Size: 4.2 cm high, 5.9 cm diameter Along the upper rim of this beguiling object are five characters of the Indus Valley alphabet, the tantalizing glyphs of an undeciphered language. The choice of stone, polished to reveal a milky ‘eye’ and undulating ribbons, as well as its seductive concave surfaces, add to its visual and tactile appeal. It has

weight, too, which makes its purpose as an ear appendage surprising at first, until one remembers the tradition of such adornments in the pierced and stretched lobes of the statues of goddesses throughout the Indian subcontinent since early times.

2 0 t wo b i c o n i c a l c a r n e l i a n l o n g b e a d s Indus Valley, first half 3rd millennium bc Size: 11.5 cm, and 11 cm long Such highly polished beads were the longest pierced carnelian beads produced prior to diamond-drilling. They were made in specialized workshops, and required sophisticated drilling techniques to perforate. It has been calculated that a bead of this length took at least 64 hours to drill; and since the strain of drilling required periods of rest every few hours, at least 10 days went into its manufacture. The stone came from the mines of Gujarat, and finished beads were exported as far as Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf. The Indus Valley cities established an outpost at Shortughai in northern Afghanistan

to give them access to lapis lazuli and turquoise, but they preferred and valued carnelian for its hardness. Beads like this were greatly prized, and have been found in the royal cemetery at Ur. An archaeological find at Mehrgarh has provided a surprising context for the highly developed skill of drilling in the Indus Valley. Eleven drilled molar crowns from nine adult skulls were discovered in a neolithic graveyard that dates from 9,000 to 7,500 years ago. This very precise proto-dentistry was accomplished with bow-drills tipped with flint.

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2 1 f i v e h o ly h a r l o t s f r o m t h e i n d u s va l l e y Mehrgarh, circa 3000 –2500 bc Size: 13 cm; 13.2 cm; 14.2 cm; 13.5 cm; 12.5 cm Terracotta, with pigments Andrew Robinson writes in his survey of the Indus Valley civilization (The Indus, London, 2015): ‘Many of the female and male figurines appear to have been fertility figurines, judging from their nudity.’ The term ‘fertility figurine’ is one that seems to make sense, but relies on a series of suppositions that add up to very little. Why does an overt show of sexuality not represent exactly that? The same tendency is responsible for the ubiquitous labelling of objects as ‘ritual’, simply because their function is unknown. Nobody has described this better than Charles Moore: ‘Telephone boxes … are lovely things. But the question now, in the era of the mobile phone, is “What are they for?” You hardly ever see anyone inside them. Future historians, puzzling over these objects, may conclude that they were wayside religious shrines in which people stuck pictures of naked fertility goddesses to bring them luck.’ (The Spectator, 21 April 2007). The answer to the question, ‘How do you know they are temple prostitutes?’ is: who else would go around looking like that? The practice exists discreetly to this day in India, but it has a long and distinguished history. In ancient times it was thoroughly regulated, and according to Herodotus, writing disapprovingly in the 5th century bc: every woman in Babylon was obliged to serve for one day at the temple of Mylitta (Aphrodite). The good-looking ones were able to fulfil their

obligation rapidly, while those not blessed with beauty sometimes sat waiting for years. In Hammurabi’s code of laws, the rights and good name of female sacred prostitutes were protected; the same legislation that protected married women from slander applied to them, and their children. The emperor Constantine had a policy of closing down the temples of Venus, much to the delight of the priggish early Christian theologians. Modern scholars, particularly female ones, have tried to pass the whole concept off as a 19th-century fantasy, but I think this quintet of bejewelled and busty beauties gives a lie to such puritanical pretensions. If the Church of England reinstated the practice, our churches would be full, society would be less stressed, and religion would be fun again, even beyond what the happiest of clappies can provide. The problem with this theory of temple prostitution, some might say, is that the excavations at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa have not revealed temple structures such as those of Mesopotamia, which has much puzzled the archaeologists. Nevertheless, religion has been practised without cult buildings in many parts of the world, at least until it became part of a political system. And, therefore, it is quite possible that religious sex in the Indus Valley was a sort of cottage industry, with the advantage of providing a cosy intimacy impossible within the draughty colonnades of temples.

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2 2 a–c t h r e e t e r r a c o t t a fa s h i o n i s t a s Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, c. 3000 bc Size: 9 cm; 14 cm; 9.5 cm It’s the hairstyles that are the giveaway. Getting done up like this would not have left enough time in the day for harlotry, nor have given the girls the necessary freedom of movement required for such a performance. This particular hairstyle was popular in Mehrgarh c. 3000 bc, and so, apart from the building of walls and the crafting of figurines, hairdressing was clearly

an important form of artistic self-expression. Four thousand years after developing farming and herding in South Asia, there was a hairdresser on every high street. Paying attention to hairstyling is a sign of an advanced culture; late 18th-century France and late 1960s King’s Road are obvious examples.

23 a t er r ac o t ta m a l e f igu r i n e Mehrgarh, c. 3000–2500 bc Size: 10.5 cm high The great majority of the figurines from Mehrgarh are female, so this male represents something of an anomaly. His hair, carefully combed and probably perfumed, retains some of its black pigment, and is bound by a stylish turban. The traces of yellow pigment around the neck indicate that his eight-strand

necklace and pendant are of gold. Otherwise he is stark naked. Speculating on the possible reasons for depositing such an ex-voto, one is led to conclude that it commemorates a spiritually uplifting encounter with one of the girls at the temple, for which he had presented himself at his most elegant.

2 4 a mo t h er- g odde ss r i di ng ou t Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 15 cm high Bronze, lost-wax casting She has had her hair extravagantly done up for the ride. Apart from their rarity, the early bronze plaques, of which this is a fine example, provide the first known representations of domesticated horses. They contradict the generally held view that horses were only introduced into India a thousand years later by

Indo-Aryan peoples from further north. This goddess, however, preferred to ride out on her Bactrian camel. It is, of course, impossible to exaggerate the importance of the Bactrian camel, the rolling stock without which the arteries of trade could not have functioned.

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22a

22b

22c

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25 a c a rv ed l i m e ston e m a l e bust Mehrgarh area, 5thâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;4th millennium bc Size: 8 cm high

26 a ba n ded a l a ba st er m a l e figu r i n e Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 4th millennium bc or earlier Size: 6 cm high

27 c opper figu r e of a roya l fem a l e figu r e m a k i ng a n offer i ng Indus Valley or Balouchistan, late 4th millennium bc Size: 9 cm high

28 a r a r e cast bronze cosmet ic fl ask i n t h e f o r m o f a wo m a n Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 8.4 cm high This figure is related to Indus Valley terracottas, with some unusual features. She has a long pigtail, and a snake-like ornament around her neck above the necklace that dangles on her breasts. She wears a skirt, one of the earliest known examples of a mini-skirt, designed to reveal rather than hide her nether parts. The swelling belly may indicate pregnancy, or just be a way of making space for more of the cosmetic.

29 a c a st h igh- copper bron z e h ea d of a pr i est-k i ng Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 4 cm high Although small in size, this remarkable head has a powerful glowering presence. His hair is perfectly curled in layers down his head and the back of his neck. From his chin hangs a beard in the Egyptian style.

3 0 a c o p p e r f i g u r e o f a w i l d b oa r Mehrgarh area, circa 3500 bc Size: 6 cm long The eyes are inlaid with shell. The base bears a seal now obscured by corrosion.

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3 1 a–j i n d u s va l l e y s e a l s It is assumed that the seals were used for trade, particularly long-distance trade, that the different animals are badges of clans, and that the script spells out the name or title of the owner. The theory has several awkward corners, however. There are about ten animals which are most commonly shown, while at Mohenjo-daro 60 per cent of the animal seals show unicorns. At Harappa it is 46 per cent. There are other animals that are very rare, such as the tiger and markhor goat, and occasionally a horned and naked man

seated in a yogic pose with an erection turns up. The same inscription appears with different animals, and sometimes several animals appear on one seal, or a single animal with three different heads. Nevertheless, at their best they are objects of great refinement and beauty, and all the more tantalizing for their undecipherable script. Most are made from steatite that has been hardened by heating after engraving, with a pierced knob at the back. (See also no. 6 for the seals with unicorns.)

a. b. c. d. e.

f. g. h. i. j.

A bearded bull and inscription. Size: 3.4 cm square A fine zebu and inscription. Size: 3.3 cm square A zebu and inscription. Size: 2.9 cm square A rhinoceros and inscription. Size: 3.6 × 3.4 cm A horned shaman and inscription. Size: 3 cm square

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An elephant and inscription. Size: 2.6 cm square A bull and inscription. Size: 3 cm square A markhor goat and inscription. Size: 2.6 cm square A unicorn, incense burner and inscription. Size: 3 cm square A unicorn and inscription. Size: 2.7 cm square

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32 a mon k ey bea d m a de of sh el l Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2.5 cm high

33 a n a dj ust ed c u bic a l c h ert w eigh t Indus Valley, 5th millennium bc Size: 3.5 × 3.8 cm Weight: 125 g Cubical weights conform to the standard Harappan binary weight system that was used in all of the settlements. Based on a tiny black and red seed called a gunja, each weight doubled until the 16th ratio when the system became a decimal increase. The largest weight found at Mohenjo-daro is the equivalent of 100,000 gunja. While different from the weight systems of Egypt and Mesopotamia, the standardization of the Indus Valley was a tremendous facilitator of trade. The chert used for most of the weights came from the highland river-beds of Baluchistan and Afghanistan. Edward Gibbs has written an elegiac description of his relationship with this weight, which he found in the grounds of

his grandparents’ house in the village of Barcombe, near Lewes. He provides a fine example of how even the most modest-seeming objects can open up a wide world to whoever has the curiosity to seek it. For 20 years it sat in his drawer of treasured finds, until a visit to the British Museum while he was student at SOAS revealed its origin. It is now recorded at the British Museum as the most westerly proof of trade with the Indus Valley. We find it difficult to imagine who we were in the 5th millennium bc, but this weight shows that we were part of a vast trading network. Provenance: Edward Gibbs

3 4 b a s a lt p e b b l e c a r v e d a s a m o u f l o n Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 5.3 cm high, 6.7 cm long The nature of the mouflon, so perfectly expressed with minimum modulation of the pebble’s surface, appears more 20th century than five millennia old. This shape of basalt pebble was formed by magma released under water, and its probable origin was the Deccan plateau.

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35 a fossi li zed sh el l per fu m e fl a sk i n t h e for m of a w h a le Mundigak, Balouchistan, circa 4000 bc Size: 14.5 cm long The most intriguing aspect of this rare flask is that it probably represents a narwhal, with its long horn acting as the stopper. If so, it would suggest that the trading network from the Indus Valley stretched even further north than the Sussex garden in which the chert weight (no. 33) was found. It would also provide a tantalizing link to the popularity of unicorns on Indus Valley seals.

36 a bl ack ch l or i t e cu p Indus Valley, circa 4000 bc Size: 5.3 cm diameter Finely carved around the outside are three long-legged water birds, each devouring a large fish.

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37a a m i n i at u r e bu l l c a rv ed i n st r i ped agat e Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2.5 cm long

3 7 b a m i n i a t u r e wo l f i n b a n d e d a g a t e Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 3 cm long

38 a polish ed li meston e seat ed bu ll Indus Valley, circa 3000 bc Size: 11 cm long The horns, ears and clover leaf inlays are of lapis lazuli, the eyes are inlayed with shell, polished black chlorite and lapis lazuli. The body of the bull is pierced with a vertical hole. Lapis lazuli was mined in ancient Bactria and exported widely, notably to Egypt and Mesopotamia. The technique of

inlaying stone in this way was also used over a wide area, with examples known from Susa, Bactria and the Indus Valley, the latter being the most likely origin of this example. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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3 9 a pa i r o f g o l d b a n g l e s Mehrgarh, 3rd millennium bc Size: 7.5 × 8.5 cm The gold sheet is wrapped around a core of bitumen.

4 0 t h r ee sh ell br acelets Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500–3000 bc Size: 7 cm diameter The three bracelets are cut from the same conch shell; the middle and lower bracelets are carved with the image of a conch shell on one side.

4 1 a pa i r o f s u m e r i a n gol d ea r r i ngs Mesopotamia, 3rd millennium bc Size: 6.5 cm across

42 a n e c k l ac e of g ol d, l a pi s l a z u l i a n d t u rquoise Quetta Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 32 cm long The traders of the Indus Valley established an outpost at Shortugai in the north of Afghanistan in order to have access to the gold, lapis lazuli and turquoise that was mined there. These beads are a vivid testimony to those hardy traders and their long-range endeavours.

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4 3 a n o va l a g a t e s e a l Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2.5 cm The flat side is drilled with a walking human figure with possible traces of script. Drilled for suspension.

4 4 a c o p p e r vo t i v e f e m a l e f i g u r i n e Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 5 cm high She stands on a square pedestal, elegantly coiffed and with her right arm raised.

45 a white nephr ite sea l Indus Valley, 4th millennium bc Size: 2 cm diameter Both surfaces of the seal are drilled, with a bird motif on one side and a tree motif on the other. It is also pierced for suspension.

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4 6 a n i m p o r t a n t pa i r o f e a r ly s i lv e r m a l e a n d fem a l e figu r i n es Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 5th millennium bc Size: 7 cm and 6.5 cm high If the non-conformist Anglican archbishop James Ussher (d. 1658) was correct in his calculation that the first day of the Creation took place on 23rd October 4004 bc, we could have before us the only known contemporary portraits of Adam and Eve. The dates more or less coincide. And since the figurines were found at Mehrgarh, it would also finally resolve the issue of where exactly the Garden of Eden was located â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Indus Valley. The fact that the two figures are shown naked suggests that they were made before Eve ate the apple and they got expelled, but that raises the difficult question of who was there to make the figurines? Adam and Eve or not, they are very rare and early representations of a human couple. The Indus Valley was connected by trade to Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia since earliest times,

and the round eyes of these figures provide a clue to their antiquity, conforming to a type engraved on figurines from Susa and elsewhere in the 4th millennium and earlier. Only in the 3rd millennium did eyes become almond-shaped. Another interesting feature of the male figure is that he is wearing a belt, typical of the hero-figures and warriors of early history. It was the standard accessory from Mesopotamia to Bactria, necessary especially when naked to carry a sword (see the figures on the goblet no. 71). The perforations suggest that these figurines were sewn onto textile or leather, while the piercings at the top of the heads must have been made for their use as pendants, perhaps later when Cain and Abel were going through their hippie phase.

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4 7 a–h a g r o u p o f e i g h t ‘s i n g i n g ’ ala baster vessels Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, circa 4000 bc The appealing characteristic of the alabaster from which these vessels are made is the variegated colouring of its striations. It must have been as attractive to the inhabitants of Mehrgarh 6,000 years ago as it is today, because the mine, located in their vicinity, has been exhausted for millennia. Another quality of this fine-grained stone is that it rings when struck. The search for beautiful materials, and the invention of techniques to endow ordinary materials with beauty, are both characteristic refinements of the Indus Valley civilization.

The technique for firing ceramics was known millennia before Mehrgarh was settled. The Gravettian figurines from Doini Vestonice in the Czech Republic date from 29,000 to 25,000 bc, and vessels from 20,000 years ago were found in Jangxi, China. The availability of fine-grained alabaster allowed the parallel production in Mehrgarh of thin-walled vessels with attractive patterns. They must have been a luxury product, akin to having porcelain instead of stoneware.

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Conical beaker. Size: 11 cm high, 13 cm diameter Conical cup. Size: 8 cm high, 15 cm diameter Bowl. Size: 6 cm high, 13.5 cm diameter Bowl. Size: 7 cm high, 18 cm diameter

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Bowl. Size: 9 cm high, 18 cm diameter Bowl. Size: 10 cm high, 19 cm diameter Bowl. Size: 11.5 cm high, 21 cm diameter Conical bowl. Size: 13.5 cm high, 21.5 cm diameter

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4 8 a p o lyc h r o m e t e r r a c o t t a c o n t a i n e r Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500–3000 bc Size: 16 cm diameter × 9 cm high Three yellow lions with manes of brown, pink and beige stripes stalk through a rocky landscape around the outside of the vessel; four fishes swim around the shoulder against a yellow ground.

4 9 a g r e y- wa r e c e r a m i c b o w l Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500 bc Size: 19.5 cm diameter It has been suggested that the mysterious designs in black on the whitened interior represent cloud bands. I think they represent the bikinis of eight local lovelies laid out to dry on a rock by the Indus, while they sunbathe nearby after a swim; all of them topless and four of them completely naked.

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50 a t er r acot ta dr i n k i ng v essel Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 19 cm high This strikingly simple representation of a long-horned bull’s head is as effective in what it transmits as Picasso’s bicycle-seat and handlebars. The main difference is in the humour of the latter that comes from the materials used. Of course, it is difficult to decipher the sense of humour of 5,000 years ago, and for all we know, those who drank from this cup may have been equally amused by its wit. A thermoluminescence analysis report (N100a80) from Oxford Authentication Ltd is available.

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51 a t er r acot ta ja r Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500–3000 bc Size: 21.5 cm diameter, 17.5 cm high The entire outer wall of the vessel is filled with motifs: red gazelles outlined in brown, palm trees, solar discs, combs, flying birds and fish.

52 a t er r acot ta bow l Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500–3000 bc Size: 26 cm diameter Decorated in red on a whitened ground with linked eight-pointed stars and border crenellations.

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53 a t er r acot ta scoop Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500–3000 bc Size: 14.5 × 11 cm Painted on the inside with a human figure, goats, a dog, birds and two sections of cross-hatching.

5 4 a t a l l t e r r a c o t t a b u l b o u s va s e Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 37 cm high Decorated in black with a wealth of images showing farming, animal husbandry, and tree plantation around a river.

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55 a l a rge t er r ac o t ta ja r Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3000 bc Size: 43 cm high, 35 cm diameter The decoration around this jar is a rare illustration of the herder-gatherer culture of the Indus Valley. Three large zebu bulls are tethered to trees, standing on cultivated fields, with a variety of trees and a single large bird.

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56 a n i m porta n t fr agm en t of a t e r r a c o t t a r i t ua l v e s s e l Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, early 3rd millennium bc Size: 36 cm high, 30 cm base diameter The stand has polychrome decoration typical of the finest ceramic production of Mehrgarh. More extraordinary are the three roaring lions in relief, with shaggy manes and swishing tails. The profiles of such vessels are recorded in numerous fragments, none so far intact, and must have served either as offering stands, as depicted on many seals, or for other-worldly drinking, since in this world a beaker works better. None of the other fragments, in the published literature, has lions in relief.

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57 a t er r acot ta bow l Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3500–3000 bc Size: 18 cm diameter Decorated in dark brown with three elongated zebu bulls, each with a water bird perched on its back and a leaf motif between the horns.

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58 a l a rge t er r ac ot ta bow l Mehrgarh, Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 26 cm high Painted in black, with three enormous lions stalking the sides, and a migration of birds overhead.

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a nci en t bact r i a The ancient land of Bactria lay in north-west Afghanistan, with its capital city of Balkh ‘the Mother of Cities’. Cut off to the south by the Hindu Kush mountains and to the east by the Pamirs, it stretched out westwards into the steppes of Central Asia. It was an oasis culture that flourished along the rivers in Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan and western Tajikistan. At its heart was Margiana, at the broad Murgab river delta, and the great city of Merv. It is hard for us to imagine the sophistication of such a culture, so remote, so apparently discombobulated over such a wide area. And yet it was artistically innovative and diverse, as the objects that follow show, dating from the Middle–Late Bronze Age of the 3rd millennium bc to the Hellenistic and later Roman-Gandhara periods of production. One reason was the early immigration from the Kopet Dag and Tejen oasis system, bringing irrigation techniques and material culture. There were rich mineral lodes, gold, silver, tin, copper, lead, gemstones, lapis lazuli and turquoise. Far from being cut off and remote, these oasis communities were the vital trade link between the

Indus Valley, Iran and Mesopotamia; they were in touch with everybody, and prospered greatly as a result. We forget that Central Asia became a pre-eminent intellectual hub, prefigured by this oasis culture, connecting India, China, the Middle East and Europe. Merv’s outer rampart ran for 155 miles, and in the Middle Ages the city employed a permanent staff of 12,000 hydraulic engineers to maintain its irrigation system. The 1st millennium bc saw the growing power of the nomads from the north, who interfered with the peaceful pursuit of trade, and who from the mid-millennium became locked in a struggle with the dominant Achaemenid Empire of Persia. The great artistic contribution of the nomads was the beguilingly beautiful ‘Animal Style’, which they spread from the borders of China to the Crimea. Alexander the Great brought Hellenism to Bactria in the later 4th century bc, followed by the Indo-Greek satrapies, and the close links forged with the Roman Empire in the early centuries ad. These different phases are eloquently illustrated by the works of art that follow.

59 t h r e e h o r n e d h e a d s o f m o u f l o n s Ancient Bactria, mid-3rd millennium bc Size: 13 × 13 cm Copper alloy overlaid with gold These three horned heads are identical to those excavated in 1937 at Tepe Hissar in north-east Iran, part of the sixty objects making up the so-called ‘Treasure I’ of Hissar. All of them are believed to have come from Bactria, c. 2500 bc, according to stratification, and illustrate the contacts between different communities and the trade between them. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 18 a, b, c Provenance: Private collection, UK

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60 a c a rv ed ston e bea r Ancient Bactria, 3000 bc, or earlier Size: 12 × 20 cm This rare and unusually large animal figure is carved in hard limestone of a pinkish hue. It captures marvellously the form and spirit of the bear as he rests, apparently contemplating hibernation after a season of activity. He is reminiscent of the masterpieces of the European Ice Age, such as the Zaraysk bison. He is of the brown bear variety; the larger cave bear had died out by 12,000 bc. Painted images of bears in caves are frequent from the Upper Palaeolithic period onwards, such as the remarkable images of both a cave bear and a brown bear in the Chauvet Caves in Ardèche, which date back to between 32,000 and 30,000 years bc. One of the earliest of all known sculptures is a bear moulded in clay found at Montespan in Haute-Garonne in 1881. This was probably made 15,000–20,000 years ago. While there was clearly some symbolic significance attributed to bears – caves with skulls set on plinths or arranged in circles,

quantities of bones indicating ritual slaughter – the meaning has been hotly disputed over the last century. Was there a bear cult? Was the bear, with its upright stance, seen as the intermediary between humans and dimensions beyond? Were there shamanic associations? The Ainu of Japan, the Ostyaks, Evenks, and Yakuts of Siberia, the Lapps in Scandinavia, and the Inuit in Canada and Greenland, all practised a bear cult, which has been substantiated in historic time. Whether it is legitimate to project what we know from more recent times, back through millennia, is the main bone of contention among those trying to decipher what people thought so long ago, based on the meagre clues that remain. It could be argued that, after all this time, the bear has entered the realm of conceptual art, where people project their own interpretations, usually onto arrangements of objects and assemblages of rubbish.

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61 a gl a z ed l i m e ston e ow l Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 23 cm high The comparison between this Owl and the carved-stone Bear (previous pages) is very instructive, even though both remain shrouded in mystery. They come from the same general area, but it may be that millennia separated their manufacture. The contrast is striking, however, because while the Bear looks back to the most ancient tradition of sculpture, this Owl anticipates a new age. It arrived as a group of fragments in an old shoe-box, where it had lain for half a century or more. Nothing is missing apart from the tip of an ear, Colin Bowles assured me when he returned it reassembled. As I looked at it for the first time, I had the distinct impression that what I was looking was at the perfect impersonation of an owl by a piece of stone. It seemed quite as likely that a

piece of stone could render the quizzical expression of an owl by pulling a face, as that a stone-chipper in a remote Bactrian oasis some 5,000 years ago could do the same. I questioned Colin again later about the slight skew of the beak, which is part of what animates the face and allows one to imagine his hoot, and he was adamant that its position is original. Holes at the back of the head suggest it was once part of an incense-burner. The technique of glazing limestone to look like marble is occasionally encountered among ancient Bactrian sculptures, and the shine that remains at the top of the head shows how attractive this can be. Faience beads were similarly treated to resemble semi-precious stones.

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6 2 a n a n a c o n da i n b r e c c i a t e d g r a n i t e Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 10.5 × 8 cm Ancient heroes are shown wrestling with giant anacondas on many chlorite and schist vessels of the same period. This Anaconda, however, is carved truer to life, and appears to be crunching up a male figure who is holding his head in a gesture of agony. He has a hairstyle typical of other human figurines of the 3rd millennium bc. Another unusual feature is the stone from which

it is carved, a brecciated granite, which does a wonderful job of rendering the skin of such a slithy serpent. Granite was rarely used because it is so hard to carve, and is otherwise known from the grooved and waisted ‘votive’ columns of Bactria. Like many ‘votive’ objects this sculpture, too, is hard to interpret, erupting from an ancient time and showing Nature red in tooth and claw.

63 a y el l ow st eat i t e sea l i n t h e f o r m o f a c o i l e d a n a c o n da Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2 cm diameter The intaglio is carved with a running antelope. Pierced for suspension.

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6 4 a s o l i d c a s t a n d g o l d i n l a i d s i lv e r b u l l Ancient Bactria, late 3rd millennium bc Size: 6 cm high, 9 cm long It is the naturalism of the sculpture that astonishes. From most ancient times schools of sculpture turn up producing works quite different from the artistic norms of the period. For example, in the Dian necropolis of Yunnan Province, China, where the bronze sculptors must have observed tigers tearing bulls to pieces over and over again in order to achieve such dramatic verisimilitude. Bactrian figural sculptures of this type are usually associated with ceremonial axe heads, such as the

silver example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showing a winged man with talons and two raptors’ heads taming a winged lion and a boar. A bronze axe head in the Louvre has a very lifelike boar lying along the shaft of the blade. The function of the rare free-standing animals that are known is uncertain. Probably they were votive figures made to be placed in shrines. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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65– 7 1 col l ec t ion of sev en b a c t r i a n s i lv e r v e s s e l s Ancient Bactria, late 3rd–early 2nd millennium bc Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003 Provenance: Private collection, UK

65 dou bl e cu be v essel Size: 9.2 cm high

66 ci rcu l a r pot w i t h a sl eepi ng wo l f (o n t h e l i d ) Size: 4.2 cm high, 4.8 cm diameter

6 7 c o s m e t i c p o t e n g r av e d w i t h t wo r a m s Size: 6 cm high

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68 bea k er w i t h geom et r ic decor at ion Size: 13.5 cm high

69 bea k er w i t h geom et r ic decor at ion Size: 7.8 cm high

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70 cu p w i t h a feast i ng scen e Size: 6.7cm high, 7.5cm diameter This scene of celebration with drinking and music is a fundamental reminder of what has been forgotten. Jesus said: ‘Where there are two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ In other words, the gathering together of people with a certain intention (‘in my name’) is the vehicle for connection with something spiritual beyond our normal comprehension. Such gatherings are times of enjoyment, and

have to be so for their purpose to be fulfilled. The agape feasts of the Classical world, which reflected this practice, were ended by the stern bigotry of Christianity in the 2nd century, and when Islam came along it banned alcohol and ruined much of the potential of such assemblies where it could. But clearly in ancient Bactria they had no such inhibitions, and decorated the vessels they drank from with scenes of their drinking.

71 ta l l goblet w i t h h u n t i ng scen es Size: 17.5cm high This goblet presents a particularly rich iconography, but one which remains difficult to interpret unless one sees it as recording a specific event. Two of the facets show pairs of kneeling archers shooting arrows at each other. A third shows a herd of animals, five sheep and two goats. The fourth side is more

mysterious. It shows a naked couple on the ground, apparently a woman comforting a wounded man. Above them a buried corpse, scored with cross-hatching to indicate that he is buried, one assumes. There have been different interpretations, but finally it remains a Rubik’s Cube of possibilities that awaits resolution.

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7 2 a b a n d e d a g a t e va s e Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 10.5 cm high

73 a bl ack sch ist cu p w i t h fe l i n e h a n d l e Ancient Bactria, circa 2000 bc Size: 7.7 cm long The exterior is engraved with spirals. The feline handle provides an early prototype of drinking vessels in gold and silver from the Mongol period, and later, the Timurid dragon-handled vessels.

74 a r e d j a s p e r r i t ua l l a m p s t a n d Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 12 cm high

75 a gold v essel Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 4 cm high This vessel is an example of extreme technical wizardry. It was beaten and shaped with its four bears’ heads out of a thick sheet of gold, without any soldering. Also between two of the heads there’s a small loop, enabling its owner to hang it around his person. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

76 a jasper bea k er Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 8.5 cm high It is rare to find such a typically Bronze Age shape of vessel rendered in a material as hard and valuable as jasper.

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7 7 a c h l or i t e box Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 6.5 cm high, 7 cm wide This unusual box and cover is carved to look like wickerwork, with a framework of split bamboo. It represents a type of vessel that has not survived the intervening millennia. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 17 Provenance: Private collection, UK

78 a white nephr ite ja de h ea d of a r a m Ancient Bactria, 2nd millennium bc Size: 2.5 cm long

7 9 a g o l d p e n da n t i n t h e f o r m o f a n eagl e w i t h ou tspr ea d w i ngs Ancient Bactria, 2nd millennium bc Size: 4 cm high, 6 cm wide The body and wings of the eagle are cloisonné decorated with lapis lazuli, turquoise and agate, fixed with bitumen. The eyes are inlaid with shell, the legs and claws of the bird are at the front of the body as if at the moment of attack. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

8 0 a b r o n z e b e lt - b u c k l e i n t h e f o r m of a coi li ng ser pen t Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 6.3 cm across

81 a c h l or i t e bow l Ancient Bactria, circa 2500 bc Size: 13.5 cm diameter Carved with an all-over design of sheep’s fleece.

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8 2 a s i lv e r p i n w i t h a s a b r e - t o o t h t i g e r ’s h e a d Ancient Bactria, 2nd millennium bc Size: 25 cm long

8 3 a l a p i s l a z u l i t h r e e - fa c e d pa z u z u o n a g o l d e l e c t r u m p i n Ancient Bactria, 2500–2000 bc Size: 19.5 cm long The wonderful quality and colour of the lapis lazuli, and its superb carving, mark this pin out as one of the finest known fashion accessories from ancient Bactria. The refinement of the layered hair-style is only matched by the beard-styles and hair-styles of the great royal portraits in bronze of Mesopotamia. The mighty Oxus was the artery of the scattered oases that stretched north-westwards from Afghanistan into Central Asia,

controlling the trade throughout Asia. Electrum gold was panned from the rivers and typical of this early period, before pure gold was refined from it. Pazuzu was king of the demons of wind in Assyrian and Babylonian myth. Like wind, he travelled far, and became popular as an amulet for protection in childbirth. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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84 a l a rge agat e ba r r el -sh a ped bea d Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 8 cm long

85 a l a rge sph er ic a l agat e bea d Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 7 cm diameter

8 6 a y e l l o w s t o n e f i g u r e o f a d r o m e da r y Central Asia, circa 3500 bc Size: 17 cm high × 17 cm long This is an interesting symbol of the earliest manifestation of the trade routes that became the Silk Road, although most of the camels shown are of the Bactrian kind, with two humps. The hole in the hump indicates some kind of function for the sculpture. Another interesting feature is that the harness is engraved and stained.

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8 7 a p o l i s h e d da r k g r e e n gr a n i t e ph a llus Bactria, 4thâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;3rd millennium bc Size: 26.5 cm long Incised down one side is a tall, elongated male figure, naked and standing on a two-step podium. His right arm is held aloft, with a bird perched on his raised hand. Snaking around the column is a serpent, until its head reaches the bird, as if in conversation.

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88 a ston e mon k ey a n d ch i ld Ancient Bactria, circa 3000 bc 4.5 cm high A monkey cult seems to have existed in Bactria in the 3rd millennium bc, perhaps for providing shamanic access to realms beyond our own.

89 a copper pi n h ea d i n t h e for m of a seat ed mon k ey Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 6 cm high

9 0 a n a l a ba st er mon k ey i n a n a t t i t u d e o f pr a y e r Ancient Bactria, 2nd millennium bc Size: 5 cm high

91 a mi n i at u r e bronze mon k ey ta lism a n Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2.5 cm high

92 a mi n i at u r e obsi di a n mon k ey a mu let Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2 cm high

93 a mi n i at u r e li meston e bea r a mu let Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2 cm long

94 a mongol i a n gol den eagl e l eat h er h u n t i ng bon n et Altai region, early 19th century Size: 9 cm high, 10 cm wide The great interest of this hood is the jade animal amulet, either a bear or a monkey, beneath the plume. It is clearly ancient, and a rare illustration of the purpose of such amulets, called upon over millennia to promote the success of the hunt. This is usually dubbed and dismissed as ‘sympathetic magic’, and yet it has been used and relied on for such a major part of our existence as a species that it may be that it is we, in these more modern times,

who are missing something. I am not suggesting that buying a Dinky-toy red bus will make more than three come along at once, but rather that there may be advantages to being more sensitive to our possibilities. Provenance: Private collection, New York Finch & Co., London

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95 a grou p of a nci en t sea l s Ancient Bactria and Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

Circular with a figure of a monkey, bronze. Size: 6.5 cm diameter Circular with geometric design, bronze. Size: 4 cm diameter Rectangular with two geometric designs, green schist. Size: 6 × 5 cm A flying bird, bronze. Size: 4 cm long A goat, bronze. Size: 4.5 cm long A human figure with possible erection, bronze. Size: 4.5 cm high A four branch cross, silver. Size: 5 cm across A standing figure, bronze. Size: 4 cm high A ruler seated on his throne, bone. Size: 4 cm diameter A man struggling with a winged raptor; two winged beasts, bronze. Size: 3.5 cm square k. A scene of sodomy, bronze. Size: 2.5 cm square

9 6 a sol i d - c a st bron z e figu r e of a mou n ta i n g oat Ancient Bactria, mid-3rd century bc Size: 9 cm high, 11 cm long It is not easy to identify the particular goat represented, elegant as he is, but the emphasis of the fur down his neck suggests he is one of those goats from whom the fine fibres were plucked for making shawls. His stance is unusually alert for such an early animal figure.

97 a copper seat ed h u m a n figu r e Not illustrated Ancient Bactria, circa 3500 bc Size: 4 cm long

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98 t h r ee bronze a x e-h ea ds Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 17–19 cm long

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99 n i n e m ace-h ea ds Iran, 3rd–2nd millennium bc Size: 4–7 cm high Haematite, granite, limestone, alabaster

100 a shell-in la id schist spou t ed v essel Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 13 cm diameter; spout 10 cm long It is made in three pieces, and must have been turned on a wheel to achieve the high quality of its shape and surface. Rarely have the shell inlays survived on such vessels. This shape is more common in bronze.

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101 a r a r e m i n i at u r e agat e figu r e of a c rouch i ng sh a m a n Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 1.7 cm high

1 0 2 s c a r - fa c e d m o n s t e r m a n Eastern Iran, late 3rd millennium bc Size: 11.8 cm high The big question that the group of figures to which this belongs raises is this: what does the scar across their face represent? In this case the scar is inlaid and emphasized with fossilized shell, possibly unique among the known examples. Unusually, also, this muscled figure is all of a piece, whereas the others are constructed of three pieces fitted together, with the skirt of alabaster or limestone, more rarely of copper.

It is probably pointless to try to interpret an image that last made sense 4,000 years ago. These images are commonly accorded the rather meaningless title of ‘heroes’, like Gilgamesh. The real heroes of our early societies must have been the shamans, the people who addressed the spiritual requirements of society. So perhaps the scar represents the ‘cut’ that has freed them from the blinding conditioning of ordinary humanity.

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1 0 3 a n o p e n wo r k c o p p e r a l l oy ga r m en t pi n Eastern Iran or Central Asia, circa 2000 bc Size: 35 cm long A similar pin from the Louvre was exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum’s Art of the First Cities exhibition in 2003 (no. 228). The catalogue entry records that while Pierre Amiet believes the couple are engaged in flirtatious banter, Victor Sarianidi thinks that it represents the transmission of a ‘revelation’ from one individual to another. Not that one precludes the other, in my opinion. The Louvre version only shows the couple beneath a curved lintel, while this example has an elaborate surround: a

phallic symbol between recumbent lions below; a wriggling serpent up each side; and a balcony above the lintel. Resolving the Amiet/Sarianidi difference of opinion is tricky. Human beings have not changed much over recent millennia, and therefore looking at modern fashion and whether it is promoting flirtatious icons, or deep meaning-of-the universe symbols, might provide a clue as to what is going on between this couple. Since this is a fashion accessory.

1 0 4 t wo b r o n z e t r u m p e t s Bactria, 3rd–2nd millennium bc Size: 9.5 cm and 7.5 cm high They are both cast with a human head half way up the stem, one with a beard and pigtail, the other without. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, nos. 14, 15 Provenance: Private collection, UK

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105 a bow en i t e h ea d Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 10 cm A similar head made from red chlorite is recorded in Uzbekistan, dated to the 3rd millennium bc. Green bowenite is widely distributed throughout the early trade routes, notably at Tell Halaf in Anatolia, from where small figures of mother goddesses date back to the 6th millennium bc. There is a huge cube of bowenite in the temple sanctuary of Hattusa, the Hittite capital, which has puzzled archaeologists ever since they found it. Latterly it became known as shahmaksud, much used for prayer beads and other instrumental objects of the Sufis.

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10 6 a n i m porta n t l a rge bac t r i a n copper bow l Central Asia, 3rd millennium bc Size: 24 cm diameter The entire wall of the bowl is repoussĂŠ-worked, with a vivid scene showing three buffaloes and a giant anaconda. The buffaloes have flamboyant horns and stand close up against each other in a rocky landscape. The anaconda snakes around the rocks and rears up behind a buffalo, its tail aloft ready to wrap its prey in its coils. The head of the anaconda is striking, with an almond-shaped eye, spiral ear and protruding tongue. This theme appears in the 4th millennium bc, and is better known from chlorite vessels that come from a wide area of the ancient world. Thin copper vessels like this one have rarely survived. A silver bowl and some gold fragments in the Kabul Museum are similarly decorated.

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107 a bronze bu l l Ancient Bactria, 6th century bc Size: 5 cm long The sculpture is finely cast, defining the musculature, facial features and elegantly curled tail. It shows a strong Iranian influence, typical of the Achaemenid period.

10 8 a sc y t h i a n bron z e deer-h e a d h a r n ess fi t t i ng Central Asia, 4th century bc Size: 6 cm high

109 a n ach a emen i d bronze sea l i n t h e s h a p e o f a fa l c o n Central Asia, 5th century bc Size: 4 cm high The intaglio is cut with a figure of a horse; the back of the falcon has a loop.

110 t h r ee bronze a mu lets Central Asia, 1st millennium bc Size: 9 cm, 7.5 cm and 7.5 cm high Amulets like these have been found in the Altai region, Balkh, Hunza Valley, Quetta Valley and Luristan. They belong to nomadic culture, and while the technique of their making is sophisticated, its geographical origin is unknown. They are amulets of fertility and abundance, with loops, to be worn. Two represent women with infants, the third a vase with an animal’s head.

111 a scy t h i a n gold pi n Central Asia, 4th–3rd century bc Size: 14 cm long

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112 a gr eco -scy t h i a n gold e a r-l obe or na m en t Central Asia, 3rd century bc Size: 4.5 cm diameter

1 13 a g r e c o - s c y t h i a n j a d e l i o n - h e a d h a r n ess at tach men t Central Asia, 2nd century bc Size: 5 cm across

1 1 4 a pa i r o f he l l e n i s t i c g o l d e a r r i n g s i nset w i t h t u rquoise a n d pe a r l s Greco-Bactria, 2nd–1st century bc Size: 3.5 cm

1 15 a s c y t h i a n b r o n z e r a t t l e w i t h fou r m a sk ed bea ns Not illustrated Central Asia, 4th century bc Size: 9.2 cm wide

116 a t r a nslucen t a l a bast er e a r-l obe de c or at ion Not illustrated Indo-Bactria, 1st century ad Size: 6.5 cm diameter The disc is pierced and carved with an amorous couple (maithuna). It appears to be the only known example made from Upper Swat Valley alabaster.

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1 17 t h e t a t t o o e d m a n Southern Siberia, 5th–3rd century bc Size: 30 cm high Bronze and gold This is one of the most important surviving relics of the Siberian Scythian culture. Its details match the few known objects of its type, as do its almost full complement of gold earrings, similar in form to those recovered from burial sites. While the Scythian peoples covered a vast area of Central Asia, from Siberia to the Black Sea, this figure belongs to the Pazyryk culture of the High Altai, from between the 5th and 3rd centuries bc. This culture was only rediscovered in 1929, and was found to have a number of interesting features: they mummified their dead, tattooed their skin, and inhaled cannabis in steam tents. The Europid Scythians and Saka were horse-based nomads who appeared in the early Iron Age. They were adept at moving with wagons to find the best pastures, according to the effects of climate change after 1000 bc. In the Minusinsk Basin alone there are 30,000 kurgans (burial mounds), from where many marvellous examples of the ‘Animal Style’ come, already collected in

Europe in the 18th century. This style originated in Tuva in the Altai early in the 1st millennium bc and then spread wherever roamed the nomads. A Saka delegation is shown on the Apadana steps at Persepolis, with their pointed caps and short swords, bringing a stallion and heavy armlets as tribute to the Achaemenid king. The inscription at Naqsh-e-Rustam calls them ‘the haoma-worshipping Saka’, referring to their cannabis use. It may all seem a long way away, a long time ago. But consider this. In ad 175, the Roman Emperor Aurelius sent 5,500 Sarmatian cavalrymen from the tribe of Iazyges to the province of Britannia, to guard Hadrian’s Wall. They left to us the Arthurian legend and Excalibur, which was part of their foundation myth. Another point to consider is why the tattooed skin from Pazyryk in the Hermitage, or images of tattooed Maori warriors, are so fascinating, while tattooed footballers, and those of both sexes who walk our streets, are so off-putting?

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118 a r epoussé gol d di a dem i nset w i t h t u rquoise s Indo-Scythian, 4th–3rd century bc Size: 12 cm long A female deity is seated between two attendants in the central panel, with a marijuana plant at each end.

1 19 a r e m a r k a bl e sc y t h i a n n eph r i t e ja de buck le i n t h e for m of t h e h ea d of a sa iga a n t el ope Central Asia, 7th–6th century bc Size: 8 × 6 × 8 cm The saiga antelope, with its characteristic long droopy muzzle, is a native of the steppe-lands of Central Asia. Now endangered, it was once plentiful; it features frequently in the nomadic ornaments of the 1st millennium bc, and later among the luxury wares of the Soghdian court and merchants during the 1st millennium ad. Achaemenid and Sasanian craftsmen in Iran used all sorts of horned gazelles, antelopes and goats as models for their vessels and ornaments, but never the saiga, which seems not to have ventured from the steppes to the north.

The saiga have long sharply ridged horns, which have here been bent around into a graceful arabesque to perform their sartorial function. Probably for nothing more robust than a silk sash that it fastened with elegance. The precision of the carving is immaculate: the grooves of the horns are delicately striated to suggest the texture of horn. The occlusions in the jade happily suggest the markings of fur. It is pierced at the back of the head, probably so that it could also have been worn as a pendant. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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1 20 a n a n i m a l-st y le bronze h a r n ess or na men t Central Asia, 4th–3rd century bc Size: 7 cm diameter

1 2 1 a pa i r o f s i n o - s i b e r i a n c h a r iot fi t t i ngs Ordos, 5th century bc Size: 14.5 cm high This unique pair of chariot fittings each have three boars copulating in a stack, most unseemly, but probably simply a regular ‘boargy’ that was familiar to those closer to Nature in times past. In 1933 Alfred Salmony published a catalogue of Sino-Siberian Art in the collection of C.T. Loo, showing a similar single chariot fitting, with only two boars copulating, so a less lively stack. This is now in the Sackler Collection.

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1 22 a bron z e figu r e of bejew elled la ksh mi Greco-Scythian, 2nd century bc Size: 13 cm high She stands holding a large lotus flower in her right hand. Lakshmi is the goddess of abundance and prosperity in the Buddhist tradition, appearing on the Sanchi stupa in the 2nd century bc. In Hinduism she is the wife of Vishnu. The details of this elegant sculpture, the earliest known image of Lakshmi in bronze, are typical of Indian art under Greco-Scythian influence. It was made in the region of Taxila or Pushkalawati, famous for their ponds of lotus flowers.

1 2 3 a r a r e k u s h a n i vo r y c a r v i n g o f a l o v i n g c o u p l e ( m a i t h u n a) Indo-Bactria, 1st century ad Size: 11 cm high The woman, decked out in all her jewels, lifts a finger to her lips in a gesture of delight. The man clasps her with one arm and offers her a drink with the other. They stand in front of the trunk of a tree.

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1 2 4 a n i m p o r t a n t o va l bronze porta ble bu ddh ist sh r i n e Gandhara, 2nd century ad Size: 8.5 × 12.5 cm Although usually described as a cosmetic dish, the obvious impracticality involved, along with the inevitable smearing of the Buddha with lipstick and kohl, make the portable shrine theory much more likely. Moreover, apart from being the only known example of its kind in bronze, it is one of the earliest

representations from Gandhara of Prince Siddhartha in his palace. He is shown seated with his left hand raised addressing an attendant sitting at his left side, and is recognizable due to his Brahmanical top-knot. His wife Yasodhara is seated next to him, holding a mirror and with a bird by her side.

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1 25 a gr een c h rol i t e f r agm en t of a r e l i e f s h o w i n g a m a n i n yo g i c p o s t u r e Gandhara, 2nd–1st century bc Size: 8.5 × 9 cm When Alexander the Great arrived in the Taxila valley in 326 bc, the thing that interested him most were the yogis he encountered there. He realized that they represented an ancient tradition of knowledge, one that was largely absent elsewhere in the world, which could provide the key to spiritual enlightenment. This is one of the most graphic illustrations of that ancient tradition. ‘How can a man become a god?’ So enquired Alexander the Great of the Brahmin sages of India. And how did they reply? ‘By doing what it is impossible for a man to do.’ While this may seem

a useless piece of advice to most people, it may also provide the answer to what many pretend to look for. It mirrors exactly Bahauddin Naqshband’s saying that the answer to everything comes from doing what one does not want to do, in ways that one does not want to do it. When Alexander turned for home he was accompanied by a yogi from Taxila called Kalanos. He committed suicide by self-immolation in Susa in front of Alexander and his generals. His last words to Alexander were ‘We will meet in Babylon.’ This was taken as a prediction of Alexander’s death there.

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126 a hephth a lite gr een p h y l l i t e o va l p l a q u e Southern Afghanistan, 5th–7th century ad Size: 8.5 × 13.5 cm This remarkable plaque shows a scene of a princely figure drinking from a bowl and seated with a courtesan playing a harp. The facial features of the powerfully built man are distinctly Hephthalite, and probably represent King Napki Malka. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 317 Provenance: Private collection, UK

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1 27 a bron z e bow l show i ng h erc u l es a n d t h e l ion of n u m ea Gandhara, 1st–4th century ad Size: 15 cm diameter Hercules performed twelve Labours, of which this was one. His method of doing it is precisely illustrated in five scenes. In the western Hellenistic world he is shown strangling the lion, a superhuman feat probably reflecting more ancient heroic figures. In the Orient they reviewed his feat more practically and gave him a sword, which, after some wrestling he used to good effect. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no.134. Provenance: Private collection, UK

1 2 8 t h e r a p e o f e u r o pa A Hellenistic Cosmetic Dish Greek Bactria, 2nd–1st century bc Size: 11.5 cm diameter Yellow chlorite The remarkable feature of this finely carved dish is that it shows Zeus transforming into a bull to carry off Europa, but not fully transformed. He still retains his god-like head, albeit already crowned with the horns and ears of a bull. This is most unusual; the bull is represented fully transformed on other examples.

Two details are typical of the oriental sphere in which this Hellenistic carving was made. One is the bull’s hump, which belongs to the oriental zebu. The second is the glorious sensuality of Europa’s buttocks curving from her narrow waist, while she appears to be enjoying the ride. Her feet dangle prettily beneath the bull’s flanks.

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1 2 9 a fa l c o n ’s g o l d l e g - r i n g Central India, 8th–9th century Size: 2.7 cm high This ring is different from all the known bird rings of Java in that it has a figure of the Bodhisattva Padmapani, strongly suggesting an Indian origin. Buddhism and Hinduism travelled from central India to Indonesia via the trade routes that had evolved for spices and gold. Falconry has always been the sport of kings; highperforming birds changed hands for high prices, and still do. The falcon would have been shown but not flown wearing such a ring: nothing was allowed that might slow the speed of the bird when it left the glove.

13 0 a g o l d p i n w i t h a c o p p e r c o r e Indo-Bactria, 3rd–2nd century bc Size: 10 cm high At the top of the pin is a young woman, probably Venus, standing in a provocative pose and holding a mirror.

13 1 a s o g h d i a n b r o n z e m o u f l o n Central Asia, 5th–6th century ad Size: 10 cm long The motif of a garlanded mouflon is frequently seen on Soghdian textiles, but rarely found as a sculpture.

13 2 a s c y t h i a n c o p p e r p i n w i t h a sta n di ng m a l e figu r e Not illustrated Central Asia, 5th century bc Size: 17.5 cm hig

13 3 a n i r o n f i g u r e o f a c r o u c h i n g fu r ry cr eat u r e Not illustrated Ancient Bactria, 2nd millennium bc Size: 4 cm

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13 4 a c i r c u l a r g r e e n c h l o r i t e p l a q u e c a rv ed w i t h a godde ss Indo-Greek Bactria, 1st–2nd century bc Size: 18.5 cm diameter This sublime representation of bejewelled and confident naked female beauty has nothing artificial about it. It has more to do with Art Shay’s photograph of Simone de Beauvoir naked in her bathroom in Chicago than any Renaissance Venus. It is the expression of universal intimacy. It is noticeable in literature dealing with such a subject that the variations in beauty define whether the female is described as a concubine or a divinity. It should of course be recognized that the flame of divinity burns in every concubine. It is obvious that this unique carving is closely related to the Indian ivory carvings of the Begram Treasure, dated to the 1st–2nd century ad. The way the figures are outlined and shaped is identical, and their sensuality is quite apart from

other figural representations of the time. The Treasure itself illuminates the reach of the Kushan Empire, with lacquerwork from China and glass and bronze from Alexandria and Rome, while its stars are the beautiful women carved into ivory, of which one got away and was immortalized in stone. A further proof of the date when she walked out so gloriously naked, is the triple crown she wears, identical to the gold crown from Tillia Tepe. As always, the parts of societies that understand that the enjoyment of life, of sex, feasting, music and companionship, as both important and spiritual, are torn apart by those who cannot share in such refinements, and dress up their disapproval as the diktats of a disapproving God.

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13 5 s i lv e r g i lt s t a t u e o f a m o d e s t v e n u s Rome, 2nd–3rd century ad Size: 32.5 cm high The exact circumstances of this cult statue’s discovery remain unknown. It is the only example of a ‘Modest Venus’ found in Afghanistan, the others being considerably more Flamboyant! She’s all the more attractive for that, with her body-hugging dress, her jewellery, coiffure, mirror and gently flexed leg. Everything that transforms a concubine into a divinity. More remarkable still is its manufacture, since it was beaten out from a single sheet of silver, of which the two extremities were folded and soldered together. The mirror, base and forearm were made separately and then soldered, and the gilding was applied with mercury. Because of the great skill involved, it has to be assumed that it came from the workshop of a highly skilled silversmith in Rome. It thus illustrates the close trade links that existed between Rome and Afghanistan, the latter sitting at the

crossroads of all the major trade routes, one, but not all of which, led to Rome. The ivory sculpture of a luscious Indian female found at Pompeii, thus dating before ad 79 and now in the Museo Archeologico Nationale in Naples, is a further example of this exchange. Her eroticism is unmatched by the wall paintings from the lupanars of Pompei, illustrating the gulf between the gloriously erotic and the morbidly pornographic. Published: O. Bopearachchi, A Gilded silver statue of a modest Venus from Begram, E. Errington and O. Bopearachchi (eds.), SRAA, 6, 1999–2000, Kamakura, pp. 5–81 O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 283

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13 6 a n i vo r y c o s m e t i c p i n - h a n d l e Indo-Greek Bactria, 1st century ad Size: 6.2 cm high This exquisite figure of a lithe and lissom beauty, naked except for her jewellery, flexed with hand on hip and one leg crossed in front of the other, once served as the handle of the pin of a cosmetic flask, probably for spreading kohl on the eyelids.

13 7 a f i n e i vo r y c o s m e t i c pa l e t t e Greco-Bactria, 1st century bc Size: 11.8 × 8.3 cm Ah, the elegance of those beauties from Bactria! We glimpse their magnificence on the Begram ivories, on the green chlorite disc, and the ivory figurine. To prepare themselves properly required the finest cosmetics and perfumes, along with elegant vessels to match what they contained. This tradition is so old and enduring that Puritanism and other aberrations seem merely to have provided a few bumps along the road of human history.

13 8 a n i n d o - g r e e k b r o n z e p l a q u e Bactria, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 5 cm high Loosely draped and largely naked, with a high chignon, she leans against a fluted pillar. Her languor is typical of the ladies of Taxila.

13 9 a da r k r e d c h l o r i t e c o s m e t i c dish c a rv ed w i t h t h e goddess na na r i di ng a l ion Indo-Greek Gandhara, 2nd century bc Size: 7 cm diameter Nana was the Zoroastrian goddess of royalty and power. When one considers the plethora of divinities, those close to them, and the hybrids that came from their mingling in Bactria in the several centuries each side of that millennium, one can’t help wondering if it is not a better candidate for the ‘green and pleasant land’ on which ‘those feet in ancient times’ trod. The most powerful shrine in Srinagar – so powerful, it was bricked up by the British in 1906 to reduce the ‘madness’ it seemed to provoke in the locals – is known as the Tomb of Jesus. In front of the enclosure is the imprint of Jesus’s feet in stone. We don’t have any of those in this country, so who knows? Kashmir would have been a nicer place to retire than Sussex once His job was done, and His disappearance could be covered up by the cruci-fiction.

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1 4 0 a g r e e n s c h i s t o va l cosm et ic dish Gandhara, 3rd–4th century ad Size: 12 × 7.2 cm A comfortable cow lies on the underside amid swirling vegetation and huge exotic fruit.

1 41 a gr een ch l or i t e cosm et ic dish Gandhara, 2nd–3rd century ad Size: 11 × 7 cm The back is carved with a lion attacking an elephant.

1 42 a n or a nge ca r n eli a n sea l Bactria, 2nd century bc Size: 3 cm The seal shows a royal couple celebrating Nowruz, holding poppies, that look so beautiful over the valleys of Afghanistan but are now considered more dangerous than the Taliban. The Queen wears a diadem, denoting her station; the man in the foreground, elderly, balding and bearded, wears a shawl engraved with flowers. They probably represent Queen Agatocleia and Strato I. Coins provide several examples of royal couples, such as the parents of Eucratides I, king of Bactria, Heliocles and Queen Laodice.

1 43 a n ea st er n h el l en ist ic e n g r av e d a g a t e p e n da n t Bactria, 2nd century bc Size: 3.2 cm high This pod-shaped pendant is engraved with the figure of a kneeling sculptor applying his chisel to the surface of an oval shield. Hardstone pendants are rare during the Hellenistic period in the West when the fashion was for rings. In Central Asia, however, pendants were still wanted, probably because they were more related to the amulets and seals of tradition there.

1 4 4 agat e sea l w i t h gaja l a k sh m i Gandhara, 2nd century bc Size: 3.5 cm This is one of the first known representations of Gajalakshmi, who was a popular goddess of fertility during the early phase of Buddhism. Here she is represented as the protector of a city, standing on a lotus base with two elephants. The swastika and Nandipa symbol are above her head. A unique Indo-Scythian silver coin in the Ashmolean Museum has the same image. She first appears on the Baharut Stupa, showing the elephant appearing in a dream to Queen Maya, Buddha’s mother.

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1 45 a n ea st er n h el len ist ic e n g r av e d a g a t e s e a l Black Sea area, mid-4rd century bc Size: 2.8 × 1.8 cm The carving of this layered agate is of extraordinary quality, showing a winged griffin with the beak of an eagle slaying a desperate stag. The subject was popular in the Black Sea area during the 5th and 4th centuries bc, and a Greek master craftsman must have made this superb example of Greco-Scythian art there. Unusually, it is pierced with two parallel holes, suggesting it was once part of a necklace or armband, and not made for a ring.

1 4 6 a s c y t h i a n s i lv e r b e lt f i t t i n g Central Asia, 5th–4th century bc Size: 6 × 4.5 cm

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1 47 a bust of bac c h us Imperial Rome, late 1st century bc Size: 11.5 cm high Bronze, silver, copper An old friend and much-esteemed colleague bought this inlaid bronze bust at an auction in Amsterdam in 1968. It was catalogued as Renaissance, probably Mantuan. He wasn’t sure what it was, but knew it was beautiful. It stayed in his storage for 20 years, until one night when he was watching a programme on TV entitled ‘Lost Masterpieces of Great Britain’. There, suddenly, was a drawing of the Bacchus. It had been discovered in Lincoln Cathedral in 1800, was in two distinguished collections thereafter, but after 1880 was never heard of again. Originally it

was part of a tripod for a wine-vessel made for Emperor Augustus; the two other busts are in the Capitoline museums in Rome. He contacted a friend at Oxford, who was very excited and begged to be able to publish it. He agreed, but then never got around to it, and forgot about the bronze for another 25 years. It is my good luck to have such a friend, and to be able to exhibit such a masterpiece with a story so poetic. Provenance: Private collection, UK

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1 4 8 a bron z e figu r e of eros Greco-Bactria, 3rd–2nd century bc Size: 3 cm high This miniature masterpiece of winged Eros playing a ‘guitar’, originally the head of a pin, is an exquisite remnant of the refined Hellenistic culture in the East. The subject-matter is beguiling, its detail is meticulous, and the poise of its pose is marvellously composed.

1 49 bi bu l ous bacch us on a n u pt u r n ed a m phor a Greco-Bactria, 2nd–1st century bc Size: 9.5 cm high Cast bronze This delightful depiction of tipsy Bacchus is also a work of remarkable quality. The humour with which he is shown, having emptied the amphora and still banging his cup for more, is relayed on a tiny scale with startling clarity.

15 0 a r o c k c r y s t a l f o o t from a n i m per i a l ch ryseleph a n ti n e stat u e Roman, late 1st century bc Size: 6 cm long The marvellous quality of carving indicates that it was once part of an ivory figure of the Emperor Augustus, the high luxury end of the images, both great and small, that he distributed around his Empire to promote his own divinity and power. Such an exercise in public relations is strangely familiar today, but the fact that it could be successfully mounted 2,000 years ago is a cause for wonder. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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15 1 a r a r e r o m a n o - b r i t i s h b r o n z e figu r i n e of a bou n d pr ison er Britain, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 4 cm high There are sixteen other recorded bronze figurines of bound prisoners, ten from the UK and the others from sites along the Rhine. Their meaning has been much debated, one theory being that they are somehow recording slavery. This seems unlikely, because if you have a slave you want him/her to get on with the washing-up, and tying them up would rather interfere with their usefulness. Prisoners, bound, humiliated and facing execution are a continual theme throughout

Antiquity, usually intended to boost the image of whoever has commissioned the image. These bronze figurines must be part of that tradition. We no longer condone gladiatorial combats as part of public entertainment; instead we watch extreme violence in the cinema, and believe we have evolved. Provenance: Rupert Wace Ancient Art, London Private collection, UK

15 2 a n e t r u s c a n b r o n z e f e m a l e vo t i v e f i g u r e Italy, early 5th century bc Size: 10 cm high She wears a pointed bonnet over her long tresses, a robe with embroidered hem, and shoes with upturned toes.

15 3 a p t o l e m a i c b r o n z e b e z e l o f a r i n g Alexandria, circa 300 bc Size: 3.2 × 1.2 cm The bezel is cast in high relief with a fine and delicate portrait of a queen, probably Arsinoe II, the best-dressed woman in the whole of human history, judging from her statue in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Antiquities Museum. Even after 2,300 years under water she has emerged immaculate, beguiling and majestic.

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15 4 a h e l l e n i s t i c a g a t e b o w l a n d d i s h Inscribed with the title and name of Menander I Soter Signed by the Greek lapidary Androkles Indo-Greek Bactria, 165–135 bc Size: Bowl 6.8 cm diameter, 3.5 cm high Dish 8.6 cm diameter, 1.6 cm high Menander I Soter was an Indo-Greek king who succeeded the viceroy Apollodotus in 165 bc. The inscription around the outside, ‘of saviour king Menander’, is identical to that found on his coins. The foundations for Indo-Greek kingdoms were laid by Demetrios I (195–170 bc), who recovered the Greek colonies lost at the end of the 4th century bc. He was the first and last ruler of both sides of the Hindu Kush. His extension of Greco-Bactrian rule south of the Hindu Kush marked the beginning of the Yavana Era, the Indo-Greek reckoning of time, counted from 186–5 bc. Thirty-seven Greek rulers are known in all, recorded by their coinage. Apollodotus (?–165 bc) brought the western Punjab under his rule, along with the Kabul Valley and Arachosia (Kandahar). Menander consolidated the independence of Indo-Greek rule from Greco-Bactria north of the Hindu Kush, and incorporated eastern Punjab and part of the Ganges Valley

into his kingdom. His capital was at Sialkot on the Indo-Pakistani border. He was above all interested in, and knowledgeable about, philosophy, and enjoyed conversing with representatives of different religions. It was the arrival of the sage Nagasena at Sialkot that led to his conversion to Buddhism, which flourished in his kingdom as a result. Many Greeks joined the monastic orders, and the visual expression of Buddhism in Hellenistic forms known as ‘Gandhara’ was created. Engraved gems signed by their makers are known in the Greek world, but this hardstone vessel with a signature is apparently unique. The lapidary Androkles must have been a Greek working in Bactria. A gold finger ring in the Babar-Content Collection has a ruby intaglio engraved with the monogram of Menander I Soter. A scientific report by the Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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15 5 a c o r n e l i a n s e a l o f t h e sa sa n i a n k i ng sh a pu r i i Iran, 309–379 ad Size: 4.7 × 3.4 cm Shapur II is known as ‘the Great’, because during his long reign the Sasanian Empire saw its first golden era. He was the tenth Sasanian king, and the dynasty’s longest reigning monarch. He was an energetic and successful general, against the Arabs, the newly Christianized Roman Empire, and the kingdom of Armenia. He also campaigned successfully in Sind, where this seal was originally found. During his reign the Avesta was completed, and among the major cities he founded was Nishapur.

The Sasanian kings of Iran are identified by the shapes of their crowns. The precise sequence of kings and their crowns is established by the coinage. An exceptional feature of this seal is the two hunting scenes below the king’s bust, showing him on horseback firing arrows at a pair of fleeing gazelles. Replacing an inscription with these images is a statement of imperial power. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

15 6 a n a g a t e s e a l o f t h e k ush a nsh a h k i ng hor m a zd i Central Asia, 271–356 ad Size: 4 × 3.3 cm; 3 cm high The large dome-shaped seal engraving depicts a bust of the first Kushanshah king, Hormazd I. The technique of engraving is similar to Kushan and Hepthalite intaglios, and different from Sasanian seals. The hair knots in snail curls are typical of Kushanshah style, and the lion bust also is a symbol of power. At this period the three political forces, the Hepthalite Huns,

the Kushans and the Sasanians, fought for control of the fertile area between Merv and Sindh. Hormazd I and Shapur II signed a treaty to co-operate against the Huns, so it is fitting that their seals appear here together. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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15 7 s h i va’s t r i d e n t Greater Gandhara, 3rd–4th century ad Size: 48 × 42 cm Stone Coins provide the evidence for the transformation of Hercules into Shiva, and Zeus into Vajrapani, in the early Kushan period. Before that, Shiva was represented by a trident, as here under an arch of pearl beds between Corinthian pillars. Vishnu was represented by a conch, and Buddha by his footprints, until the iconography of Greek divinities embodied both the Hindu pantheon and the story of the Buddha.

15 8 a m a u r y a n s t o n e r o u n d e l Arachosie, 3rd century bc Size: 8.7 cm diameter It is astonishing how much can be clearly carved into a small space: a temple building with balustrade and staircase; a couple worshipping; an old man in discussion with a youth in a cave below; a woman and driver in a cart pulled by a pair of horses; a woman in a shawl and with an elaborate headdress in a boat with her standing servant; a rocky landscape with a palm, a mango tree and a tree in blossom; and an undulating

leaf and flower border. This is a portable shrine representing an important religious story, a sort of aide-memoire while travelling with a caravan. It probably dates to the time when Ashoka appointed his son Konala governor of Taxila. Another disc illustrating mythology was found at Ai-Khanum, but generally they are simpler, with a goddess or two and some animals and plants.

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159 a t e r r a c o t t a c o n c av e m o u l d Arachosie, 3rd century bc Size: 10 cm diameter This mould is closely related to the bronze goblet that follows (no. 161), but here the popular story of Sakuntala from the Mahabharata is illustrated, as is probably the case with fragmentary roundel (no. 158). Contact with the Greeks brought a taste for figural illustration to northern India, encouraging the development of an iconography for both Buddhism and Hinduism. The previously aniconic representations of deities

(such as Shivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trident, no. 157) gradually became a fully figural story-telling iconography, best known from Gandhara. In the Mauryan context, there developed a peculiarly Indian idiom of telling complex tales in extraordinary detail in a small space, as can be seen here. Such vessels were like portable shrines, and the viewer would have appreciated every detail recounting the stories they loved and knew by heart.

160 a mi n i at u r e bronze stat u e of a beggi ng a scet ic Indo-Bactria, 3rd century bc Size: 3.2 cm high The figure represents Prince Kunala after he had been blinded by his stepmother, the Queen. (See next entry.)

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161 a bron z e g obl et i l lus t r at i ng t h e s t o r y o f pr i n c e k u n a l a Arachosie, late 2nd-early 1st century bc Size: 7.2 cm diameter; 4.5 cm high In a remarkable article, Jarrige has deciphered the meaning of the many figures around the circumferences of two goblets displaying the story of Prince Kunala and Queen Tisyaraksita, analysing these illustrations down to the smallest detail. The story was transmitted in the Asokavadana, the text that did so much to burnish the image and legend of Asoka. Anyone wanting a real understanding of this goblet, one of the finest to have survived, should consult the above article. Here is the story it recounts: Queen Tisyaraksita was perturbed by the number of presents that her husband Asoka was sending to the Bodhi Tree after his conversion to Buddhism, the Tree beneath which the Buddha received his Enlightenment, and imagined that there was a woman involved. She instructed a local witch to discover and destroy the object of her husband’s devotion: the Tree died, but such was Asoka’s despair that she realized her error, and the Tree was revived, by reverse witchcraft. Asoka had a son, Kunala, who, grown up, married Kanacanamala. He had the most beautiful eyes, and Tisyaraksita tried to seduce him. Rejected, she managed, in the course of a political upheaval,

to have him blinded, so that he became a wandering minstrel, accompanied by his faithful wife. Asoka had her executed once he learned the truth, against the wishes of Kunala, who maintained that he was repaying the karmic debt of blinding 500 deer in a previous existence. The Satrapy of Arachosie was founded by Alexander the Great, where Kandahar now exists. It retained its Hellenistic culture under the Mauryan dynasty, through the satraps who ruled it, under whom all the diverse elements of different cultures came together, and were expressed. The legend of Asoka and the story of Kunala were popular throughout the Buddhist world, from India to Japan. A Chinese pilgrim, Xuanzang, visited Taxila in the 7th century, where he saw the stupa built by Asoka at the place where his son lost his eyes. Published: Jean-François Jarrige, Un gobelet historie de l’ancienne Arachosie, Anamorphoses, Hommage à Jacques Dumarçay, Les Indes Savantes, 2006 Provenance: Private collection, London

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162 a su per b gr ey sc h ist stat u e o f pr i n c e s i d d h a r t h a Gandhara, 3rd–4th century ad Size: 63 cm high There are four known sculptures of Siddhartha from the same workshop, including this one, and their similarity and quality suggest they are the work of the same artist. All were originally discovered in the city of Sahri Bahlol, near Peshawar. The largest of the group, 97 cm high, is in a private collection in Japan, published by I. Kurita. The next in size is in the Lahore Museum, and the smallest, at 45 cm, is in a private collection in the UK. The hair falling in curls to the shoulders, the facial features, the

musculature of the body, elaborate jewellery and the rhythmic flow of fabrics, are all features typical of the whole group. This example is the most Hellenistic in look, and has both its halo and base intact, the latter carved with two Zoroastrians at a fire-altar. They rank among the finest expressions of the Indo-Greek aesthetic: the Greeks kept trying to fit their gods into human form, while the Indian tradition, as it evolved from using symbols, tried to fit human form into more godly shapes.

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1 6 3 a n e a r ly b r o n z e i m a g e o f t h e b u d d h a Swat Valley, mid-2nd century ad Size: 10.5 cm high The first Buddha images were made in the Swat Valley and the Peshawar Valley, the areas where the Kushans had already established their workshops, probably less than 100 years before this bronze was cast. Anthropomorphic iconography and refined metalworking techniques were gifts of the Greeks, which determined how both Buddhism and Hinduism came to be represented.

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164 a u n iqu e ga n dh a r a bron z e m ask of sa k ya mu n i Swat Valley or Bajaur, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 15 cm high Bronze masks of Shiva and Bodhisattvas are known from this time and area, but no other mask of Sakyamuni. It would have been fixed to a wood core, as its holes indicate, and the earlobes, wide face, eyebrows, snail-curl hair, wide shoulders and small neck, are all typical of Swat and Bajaur. The striking aspect is his robe, which makes him look like an honorary Roman senator. At this period the connection between the surviving and evolving core of Hellenistic culture in the East

and the Roman empire was extremely active. This bronze is an important witness to that connection. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 220. Provenance: Private collection, UK

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165 a bronze seat ed bu ddh a Gandhara, 2nd–3rd century Size: 9 cm high The first serious missionary efforts on behalf of Buddhism were made by the Mauryan king, Ashoka (268–232 bc), who despatched ambassadors to the Seleucids, Ptolemies and Antigonids to spread the Word. Before the 1st century bc, Buddha was represented by a symbol, often his footprint. His images appeared for the first time in the second quarter of that century, and by the 1st century ad Buddhism was spreading along the Silk Road to China, Korea and Japan. From the 1st to the 4th centuries ad, images of Buddha were mainly carved in schist in

the Gandhara region; stucco came into use in the 3rd century, a technique learned from Rome along with those required for building stupas. Gandhara was also renowned for its metallurgy, and this stately bronze is an early example of their work. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 216 Provenance: Private collection, UK

166 bronze seat ed bu ddh a Gandhara, 2nd century ad Size: 7 cm high This small image of Buddha can be dated to the latter part of the reign of Kanishka by comparison with the Buddha images on his coinage. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 218 Provenance: Private collection, UK

167 bu ddh a se at ed on a h igh l ot us t h ron e Gandhara, 2nd–4th century ad Size: 9.5 cm high Bronze Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, no. 219 Provenance: Private collection, UK

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168 t h e bronze bust of a k i ng o f k a p i s a i n d e vo t i o n Indo-Greek Bactria, 5th century ad Size: 16.5 cm high The lower half of this figure would have been in a kneeling position, and the whole would have served as an incense burner. Apart from its great rarity, the figure is remarkable for its garnet eyeballs, a feature of clay Bodhisattva heads from Hadda and other sites of the time. The elaborate hairstyle is also typical, exhibited at its most flamboyant on the Ortiz marble head of Siddhartha. Kapisa is mentioned as early as the 5th century bc by the Indian scholar, Panini, as famous for its wines and the practice of slavery. The Mauryans introduced Buddhism and Hinduism

to the region, and took it over permanently after the famous deal between Chandragupta Maurya and Alexander’s general Seleucus. In return for five hundred elephants, Seleucus gave his daughter in marriage to Chandragupta, along with control over regions south of the Hindu Kush. The elephants gave victory to Seleucus at the battle of Ipsos in 301 bc against the western Hellenistic kings. After the break-up of Alexander’s Eastern Empire, a variety of Indo-Greek kingdoms were part of the continual dynastic struggles of the region. The kingdom of Kapisa was one of these.

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169 a k ush a no -sasa n i a n br ass figu r e of a k n eel i ng k i ng Greater Gandhara, 5th–6th century ad Size: 5 cm high

17 0 a c a r v e d g r e e n s c h i s t f r a g m e n t Greater Gandhara, 5th–6th century ad Size: 5.3 × 8.6 cm The mounted king is shooting a lion. He is dressed in Sasanian trousers, and wears the bonnet of an Alchon Hun. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 316 Provenance: Private collection, UK

17 1 a r a r e k u s h a n b r o n z e o f s k a n da k a r t t i k e y a Gandhara, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 15 cm high Skanda was the son of Shiva and Parvati, but unlike their other son, Ganesh, who multiplied greatly, Skanda remained childless. He is shown holding a bird in his left hand, either a cockerel or a peacock, and staff in his right hand, part of which is missing. He has a moustache and a royal headdress. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 239 Provenance: Private collection, UK

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17 2 f o u r - a r m e d t a r a o n a d o u b l e l ot us t h ron e Swat Valley, 7th century ad Size: 7.5 cm high Silver The lotus base, with leaves like artichokes, is typical of the Swat Valley, which was renowned for its skilled metal-working. At the time it was under the rule of a Shahi king, about whom we are well informed by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang because he

met him. He recorded that the king had constructed a figure of Buddha in silver over 20 feet tall. This silver Tara is touching also because it was made not so long before the Muslims arrived. It represents the last flowering of early Buddhist art in the area.

17 3 a s i lv e r - i n l a i d m i n i a t u r e b r o n z e i m a g e o f pr a j n a pa r a m i t a Swat Valley, 5th–6th century ad Size: 5 cm high Seated on a rectangular lotus base, she holds a sutra in her lap, like her close relation in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Her jewellery is inlaid in silver, and she has two pigtails down her back.

174 a y e l l o w p h i l l i t e f i g u r e o f v i s h n u Greater Gandhara, 6th century ad Size: 7.5 cm high This figure is closely related to others in the Eilenberg Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which are all of exceptional quality. In this case, Vishnu wears a crescent medallion associated the Zoroastrian goddess Nana.

17 5 a m a u r y a n c a r n e l i a n g a m i n g p i e c e Indo-Bactria, 3rd century bc Size: 4 cm high

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17 6 c o p p e r s i e v e Kham Zargar, Afghanistan, 1st century ad Size: 19.5 cm high, 34.5 cm diameter The sieve is pierced with holes between 1.5 and 2 mm in diameter, elegantly arranged in typically Buddhist floral patterns. Kham Zargar is near Begram, and this sieve is an important relic of the Buddhist monastic communities that proliferated around Taxila. After the Huns arrived in the 3rd century, Buddhism declined and the monasteries decayed, as Shiva-ism and Vishnu-ism came to predominate. The ancient site of Taxila was identified by Sir John Marshall in the early 20th century when he deciphered the inscription on a copper plaque. This sieve is the only object in private hands that mentions Taxila and its Buddhist monasteries.

Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 336 Provenance: Private collection, UK Inscription around the rim: ‘In the Buddhist community of every quarter, in the zone of the roe deer, at Taksila, for the acceptance of the monks of the Kasyapiyas Order, this is the gift of the monk Drdha, living in the monastery of the Serias.’

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17 7 a g r e e n p h y l l i t e c o s m e t i c b o t t l e Gandhara, 5th century ad Size: 7.5 cm high Four long-necked geese hold up a lotus throne capital with their beaks. The imagery is Buddhist; the goose was considered a solar creature representing holy souls, featuring often in sculpture and poetry during the Mauryan and Kushan periods. The quality of this cosmetic bottle suggests it was made in one of the Buddhist courts of Central Asia. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 315. Provenance: Private collection, UK

17 8 a b r o n z e c o w a n d c a l f Afghanistan, 8th–9th century ad Size: 3.1 cm high Hinduism was prevalent in the Kabul Valley, from where this bronze comes, during the 8th and 9th centuries. The cow has a garland around her neck, and licks her feeding calf. Published: O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes, C. Sachs, De l’Indus à l’Oxus. Archéologie de l’Asie Centrale, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Montpellier, 2003, no. 330. Provenance: Private collection, UK

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17 9 a r e l i e f o f po p l a r wo o d s h o w i n g a b u d d h i s t g ua r d i a n k i n g Probably from Loulan, Xinjiang, 3rd century ad Size: 37 × 25 cm Guardian kings, bearing swords and wearing crowns, are familiar attendants of the Buddha in the caves of Dunhuang (Cave 45) and on the stone friezes of Gandhara, between the 4th and 6th centuries. This wood image, for all of its fragmentary condition, is an extreme rarity, coming as it does from one of the outposts of the Silk Road buried under the sands of the

unforgiving Taklamakan Desert. When news of their existence first reached Europe in the late 19th century, they drew a series of the most intrepid and knowledgeable explorers ever to venture forth. The Sven Hedin Foundation in Stockholm has a similar larger wood relief discovered in Loulan in 1900.

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180 a r a r e st eat it e sta mp w i t h t h e t ex t of t h e bodh iga r bh a l a m k a r a l a k sa dh a r a n i Northern Afghanistan, 6th–7th century ad Size: 5.2 × 6 cm The only known comparable stamp is in the British Museum, acquired in 1880. Both use an alphabet classified as Gilgit/ Bamiyan-Typ II, or Proto-Sarada, with a relationship to Northern Gupta Brahmi of the 6th century ad. Both stamps have similar handles and petal decoration on the reverse, and are attributed to the same workshop. Unravelling the exact origin of

the text, like the exact type of its alphabet, is a mind-crunching exercise, fascinating to specialists and best left to them. Published: Prajnadhara: Essays on Asian Art History, Epigraphy and Culture, Gerd J.R. Mevissen and Arundhati Banerji (eds.), New Delhi, 2009, pp. 41–2, pl. 4.3

181 a gr een st eat it e sta mp Northern Afghanistan, 6th–7th century ad Size: 2 cm diameter There are six lines of Brahmi script, and beading around the sides of the stamp and over the curled and pierced handle. An almost identical stamp is in the Cabinet des Médailles, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.

182 a sem i- c i rc u l a r fr agm en t of a gr een st eat it e sta mp Northern Afghanistan, 6th–7th century ad Size: 5.7 cm diameter Engraved with six lines of Brahmi script, and petals on the reverse.

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183 a dedic at ed c onc h sh el l Kashmir, 7th century ad Size: 20 cm long The Sanskrit inscription is drilled in dots around the upper part of the shell: ‘This is the dear and pious donation of Sri Narayanadasa [‘slave of Vishnu’] who has clasped the feet of Sthulesvara [a local form of Shiva, ‘the thick Lord’]’. A hole drilled in the shell suggests it was intended for suspension in a shrine. Two other inscribed conch shells are known from excavations in India. A particular characteristic of this one is the

powerful sound it emits when competently blown, and it was this quality that was most highly prized in conch trumpets. Intriguingly, Kublai Khan possessed a great conch shell renowned for its sound that he presented to a monastery in Lhasa. It was only blown when seven ounces of silver were donated to the temple. (S.C. Das, Journey to Lhasa and Central Tibet, reprinted New Delhi, 1970, p. 242.

184 t r i ton sh el l t ru m pet Marind-anim people, New Guinea, 19th century Size: 28 cm long The Marind-anim people were much-feared cannibals of the Papuan Gulf and Torres Strait coast. They became famous for cooking and eating the Rev. James Chalmers of the London Missionary Society.

185 a n ol m ec c onc h sh el l t ru m pet Central America, 1st half 1st millennium bc Size: 32 cm long

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1 8 6 a f ly i n g p h a l l u s Greco-Bactria, 3rd–2nd century bc Size: 7 cm long

187 a t i beta n ston e ph a l lus Probably medieval Size: 13.5 cm long The stone is marcasite (iron sulphide), and the phallus had a dual purpose: as a pestle for grinding magical substances; and an object for ritual devotion, as the crimson puja powder indicates. It was found in a dry river-bed, and lay for many years in a European cabinet of curiosities.

188 a m a m mot h t usk ph a l lus Tibet, ancient Size: 25 cm long This phallus, with its marvellous molasses-like patina, is made of mammoth ivory from southern Siberia, where the great beasts roamed for some 5 million years before becoming extinct 10,000 years ago. It was once in a sorcerer’s bag, and an important tool of his wizardry.

1 8 9 a b r o n z e s h i va - l i n g a m Kashmir, 7th century ad Size: 7 cm high

1 9 0 a s t o n e s h i va - l i n g a m i n a l o t u s p o n d Greater Gandhara, 5th century ad Size: 5 cm square

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191 a pol i s h ed s ton e l i nga m Khmer, Angkor period, 12th–13th century Size: 46 cm high

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1 9 2 yo n i b a r e Nepal, 19th century Size: 4 cm high, 6.5 cm diameter Wood For obvious reasons the female sex, unlike the male phallus, is seldom attempted in sculpture. Instead, she is omnipresent in multiple symbolic forms, rather as she is in the male imagination. Even the tortured Jesuit, I suspect, can’t escape the magic of the Virgin’s nimbus. Except when still attached to a statue, the phallus is always shown erect, often boastfully so, a state more difficult to render with the female part. This may change, since a recent ‘scientific’ study of Courbet’s L’Origine du Monde has concluded there are signs of an equivalent state of arousal, but

they are not sure if it represents a pre- or post-coital disposition. It’s typical of academics always to hedge their bets. And it is heart-warming that this particular yoni made the pilgrimage to Compostela in 1998. As a result she has a right to the Coquille St. Jacques badge, which was, conveniently, a symbol of the female sex in the Ancient Orient, particularly around the Black Sea. Exhibited and published: A India, Portico do Norte, Santiago de Compostela, 1998, no. 307

193 t h r ee t er r ac o t ta oi l l a m ps Not illustrated Carthage, Tunisia, 2nd–4th century Size: 11.5 cm long These three lamps, all from what is now Tunisia and then part of the Roman province of Numidia, tell an interesting story, which is dismal or inspirational, depending on your point of view. Two, dating from the 2nd–3rd century, show sexual scenes, a couple on one, an orgy with three men and a woman on

the other. Whatever one makes of such things, they seem to be having a good time. The third lamp, shiny and clean by comparison with the decaying surfaces of the other two, is emblazoned with the Chi-Ro, the symbol of Christ. No more fooling around.

1 9 4 a n e n a m e l l e d s i lv e r - p l a t e d bronze l ock et ta lism a n Not illustrated Roman, 1st–2nd century ad 3 cm long In the form of a lamp with a phallus in relief on its lid.

195 a bron z e ph a l l ic ta l i sm a n Not illustrated Roman from Central Asia, 4th century ad Size: 6.5 cm wide At the top is the shell of Aphrodite.

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19 6 a m agn i f ic e n t ph a l lus to t e m o f a g a r r o b o wo o d Argentina, 20th century Size: 325 cm high, 50 cm wide

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197 a by z a n t i n e g ol d r i ng Constantinople, 5th–6th century ad Size: 4.5 cm high It is easy to assume that the two birds inside the cage are Eucharistic doves, and that the ring once adorned a richly attired archimandrite. (Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus, the spiritual well-spring of EOKA, had his ecclesiastical garb made by Pierre Cardin in Paris.) The birds are not doves, but peacocks, two of them sitting on a perch, and so the ring might have adorned a courtesan instead.

19 8 a by z a n t i n e g ol d r i ng Constantinople, 12th century Size: 3.5 cm high The ring has a cross on a stepped bezel, with finely chased decoration.

199 a h el l en i st ic g ol d r i ng w i t h c a r n el i a n i n tagl io Bactria, 1st century bc Size: 4.5 × 3 cm bezel

20 0 a by z a n t i n e gl a ss w eigh t Constantinople, 6th century ad Size: 14.5 cm diameter Weight: 312 grams This weight appears to be the largest Byzantine example known, by diameter, and being purple in hue was made from the most expensive glass. The closest to it is an example in the British Museum (1986, 0602.1), green glass, also stamped with five monograms. It, however, has a diameter of only 10.37 cm, weighs in at 314 grams, and is pudgy by comparison; a bagel rather than a digestive biscuit. The Rho-Delta-Epsilon monogram is so far unexplained. (I am grateful to Yanni Petsopoulos for the enjoyment that has come from resolving so little!)

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201 a m agn i fic en t rom a n agat e pl at e Rome, 4th–5th century ad Size: 36 cm diameter The banded agate has swirling maculae, a quality much appreciated in the ancient world. This type of large flat murrhine is referred to by Juvenal as maximae, a high-end luxury product of the time, and the unpolished peg at the back was for fixing to a separate foot. It has been re-polished in more recent times. Published: Dario Del Buffalo, Murrina Vasa, A Luxury of Imperial Rome, 2016, no. 60 Provenance: Private collection, London, UK

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202 a sou t h a r a bi a n a l a ba st er st el e Yemen, 3rd–2nd century bc Size: 30.5 × 20 cm

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2 0 3 a l a r g e l i m e s t o n e pa n e l South Arabia, 3rd–2nd century bc Size: 45 × 75 cm Made a long time ago, and yet the way the human features have been deconstructed over a stone tablet is wilder than a Brancusi, and more coherent than a late Picasso. Its charm is that it all makes sense.

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2 0 4 v e l l u m q u r ’a n l e a f fr o m t h e mush a f a l-h a di na h (‘The Nurse’s Qur’an’) Copied by ‘Ali bin Ahmad al-Warraq Qairouan, Tunisia, dated Ramadan ah 410 / ad 1020 Size: 44.6 × 30.6 cm Arabic manuscript on vellum, with five lines to the page written in bold angular Kufic script in dark brown ink, with vowels and diacritics in red, blue and green. The manuscript from which this page comes was commissioned by a former nurse of the Zirid Prince al-Mu’iz ibn Badis, and endowed to the Great Mosque at Qairouan. It is one of the very few early Qur’ans for which we know both the date and location of production, and the identity of the person for whom the work was made. The style of calligraphy is unique to this manuscript, and uniquely powerful. The draw of the ink gives life to the letters, and the extraordinary arrangements of the lettering, with their flourishes and contrasts, bring to mind a musical score. This type of Kufic script is usually referred to as ‘Western Kufic’, with reference to its known origin, different in the main from the styles developed further East. But, confusingly, the angularity of the script relates it more closely to what is called ‘Eastern Kufic’, and similarly idiosyncratic calligraphy is found on Nishapur pottery of the period. Between 958 and 1011 the Fatimids established a vassal state in Sind with its capital at Multan, and also had a significant community in Nishapur, which would explain the international nature of the artistic styles developed under their rule. The Zirids were the first Berber dynasty of North Africa, originally governing on behalf of the Egyptian Fatimids, and

based in Qairouan. It was Mu’iz ibn Badis (ruled 1016–62) for whom this Qur’an was made, and who declared independence from the Fatimids, transferring his allegiance to the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. According to the Arab historian Ibn Khaldun, his reign was the most luxurious and ostentatious of the Zirids. Other pages from the manuscript are in the National Institute of Archaeology and Art, Tunis; the Ibrahim Ibn Al-Aghlab Museum, Qairouan; the Metropolitan Museum, New York; the C.L. David Collection, Copenhagen; the Khalili Collection, London; and the Kooros Collection, Houston. Martin Lings, The Quranic Art of Calligraphy and Illumination, London, 1976, no. 10 Martin Lings and Yasin Hamid Safadi, The Qur’an, London, 1976, no. 25 Y.H. Safadi, Islamic Calligraphy, London, 1978, p. 23 François Déroche, The Abbasid Tradition, London, 1992 M.B. Piotrovsky and J.M. Rogers, Heaven on Earth, Art from Islamic Lands, London, 2004, no. 6 Marcus Fraser and Will Kwiatkowski, Ink and God: Islamic Calligraphy, exhibition catalogue, Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin, 2006, no. 15 David J. Roxburgh, Writing the Word of God, Calligraphy and the Qur’an, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, cover, and figs. 12, 13

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2 0 5 b i f o l i u m f r o m a m a m l u k q u r ’a n Egypt, second half 14th century Size: 34 × 24 cm These elegant pages, written in super-fluid muhaqqaq calligraphy, delicately vocalized in black and red, and with verses counted with discreet marginal ornaments, comes from a 30-volume Qur’an, of which recorded sections are in Topkapi Palace Library, Istanbul, and the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, London.

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2 0 6 a n o t t o m a n c a l l i g r a p h i c pa n e l Signed by Isma’il Zuhdi Istanbul, Turkey, dated ah 1198 / ad 1783 Size: 21.5 × 33.5 cm The interest of this panel of calligraphy, apart from the fact that Isma’il Zuhdi was the finest calligrapher of his time, is the top line. It translates as: ‘When I play with her, she is shy, until she sees the benefit.’ But that is not the most interesting part. In an exhibition of Islamic calligraphy in 1987, The Calligraphers’ Craft, one of the stars was a magnificent line of writing by Abdullah Sayrafi, from the early 14th century, with the same line, written large in black and gold. At the time I was entranced by its beauty, and had no idea that it was once in an album in the Topkapi. Sayrafi was among the six revered pupils of Yaqut al-Musta’simi, but different from the rest because of the playfulness that he introduced into his art. The Ottomans collected calligraphy of the great masters of earlier periods specifically as models and inspiration for the calligraphers being trained in the Imperial Scriptorium in the Topkapi Palace. The students were

encouraged to choose a particular master to emulate, according to their own empathy with the style and personality of the calligrapher, as expressed in his writings. I became aware of this when I saw Sayrafi’s line copied by the great 16th-century Turkish calligrapher Ahmet Karahisari, another brilliant eccentric in the great calligraphic tradition. Obviously, he had copied it from this page when it was in an album in the Topkapi library, as too did Isma’il Zuhdi. Eccentric calligraphers, unlike classical ones, never had schools of followers because, having mastered their art, they created something personal and unique within a very strict code. Isma’il Zuhdi liked to play around with calligraphic forms, and this page reveals from where his inspiration came. Provenance: Seward Kennedy, London

Abdullah Sayrafi, from ‘The Calligraphers’ Craft’

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And Noah he often said to his wife, When he sat down to dine, ‘I don’t care where the water goes If it doesn’t get into the wine.’ G.K. Chesterton

2 0 7 n oa h ’s a r k Supposedly Mesopotamia, circa 1220 Probably Turkey, early 20th century Size: 28 × 19.5 cm Watercolour and ink on paper In the early Babylonian text the god Enlil finds ‘the noise of mankind has become too intense for me / with their uproar I am deprived of sleep.’ In the profusion of their overpopulation mankind is extremely noisy, and being in charge of them Enlil decides to annihilate them. All except Atrahasis and his family, whom he instructs to build an Ark. In the course of the Babylonian Captivity a thousand years later, the Jews incorporated the Flood and other Babylonian stories into the narrative of the Bible, adapting them to their new circumstances. A notable feature in the biblical story of Noah is that the Flood was unleashed as punishment for the wickedness of Man, unlike in the earlier version where such a thing is never mentioned. And yet anyone whose siesta is disturbed by unruly children or devotees of rap, has realized that it is simpler to forgo passing Judgement on the whole of Humanity in favour of obliterating a sufficient number among it within a required vicinity. The initial instructions from Enlil to Atrahasis, ‘destroy your house, build a boat; spurn property and save life!’ are to be expected in the context of any heroic enterprise. Along with providing technical help about Ark construction, Enlil is on hand to reassure Atrahasis about how to explain what he is doing to the curious observers among the community of which he is the king. So convincing is the cover-story that when Atrahasis gives the keys of his palace and all it contains to Puzur-Enlil, the meticulous head shipwright seals the Ark: it is

now ready to sail, complete with its human and animal cargo. This final duty accomplished, Puzur-Enlil rushes headlong to the palace and there orders a great feast, summoning as much of the harem as he feels he can immediately manage. Later, seated sated on the royal cushions and cradling a goblet of wine in his hands, the musicians pause and he hears the first raindrops on the roof above his head… There are several versions of Noah’s Ark from various manuscripts of the period, all similar but none identical. The text here recounts the story of Noah, but differs from the standard version. This miniature has an interesting history. It was part of the collection of a prominent Armenian in Constantinople, along with six other paintings of the same period. He was appointed Legal Counsel to the last Sultan Mehmet VI in 1918, but already alarmed by the massacre of Armenians in 1915, he sent his collection to Besançon where he had family connections, and followed after the Sultan was deposed in 1922. Invited back to Istanbul in 1930, he spent a decade advising the new Republic on legal affairs, and then retired to Besançon. He had one son there who became a prominent dental surgeon, and another in Nice, to whom he forwarded part of his recently formed collection from Istanbul. The seven miniatures and a group of ceramics were eventually sold at auction in Besançon. If it is a 20th-century fake – tests are ongoing – it is unusually accomplished, and the result of considerable skill and expertise.

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2 0 8 a m o n g o l s i lv e r s p o u t e d v e s s e l Bearing the Tamgha of Möngke Khan (1209–1259) Mongol Empire, 1251–1259 Size: 26.5 cm long with spout Möngke Khan’s tamgha was a thunderbolt, a most fitting emblem for the conqueror of both the Song Dynasty and the Abbasid Caliphate. It is engraved on this bowl on the inside wall below the spout, and is familiar from his silver coinage. There is another detail of the decoration that strongly suggests that this bowl was the personal property of Möngke. Engraved inside are three rabbits in a circle, with three ears between them but so arranged that each rabbit appears to have both its ears. When he was 11 years old, Möngke’s grandfather Genghis Khan took him and his brother Kublai on their first hunting trip near the Ili River, where they killed a rabbit and a deer. Following Mongol custom, Genghis Khan smeared fat from the dead animals on his grandsons’ middle fingers. The engraved decoration around the outer rim, under the spout and around the rabbits is typically Mongol. The silver loop once riveted under the spout is missing. The vessel was probably used for pouring milk. Möngke was the eldest son of Genghis Khan’s teenage son Tolui and his wife Sorghaghtani. The shaman Teb Tegri Khokhcuu predicted a great future for him, and gave him his name, meaning ‘eternal’ in the Mongolian language. Proclaimed Great Khan of the Mongol Empire at the Kurultai in 1251, he had to face down determined opposition from other Mongol clans. He gave supervisory powers to his brothers

Kublai and Hulagu in China and Iran. It was to his court at Karakorum that the French king Louis IX dispatched William Rubruck, to seek an alliance against the Muslims. He was received on 24th May 1254, and among what the Great Khan told him he recorded this: ‘We Mongols believe in one God, by Whom we live and die. Just as God gave different fingers to the hand, so has He given different ways to men. To you God has given the Scriptures and you Christians do not observe them.’ He explained that God had given the Mongols their shamans. Möngke offered Louis IX his cooperation but warned all Christians that ‘If, when you hear and understand the decree of the eternal God, you are unwilling to pay attention and believe it ... and in this confidence you bring an army against us – we know what we can do.’ There are two similar silver spouted vessels in the State Hermitage Museum, published in The Treasures of the Golden Horde, St Petersburg, 2000, nos. 11 and 12. Remarkably, the famous brass ‘wallet’ made in Mosul, c. 1300, for a Mongol noblewoman, now in the Courtauld Gallery, London, shows a silver bowl of exactly this type being used in the banqueting scene that decorates its lid. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

209 a mongol copper boss Central Asia, 13th century Size: 3 cm The hemispherical boss is repoussé-worked with the figures of four running hares, with four ears between them meeting in the middle. This is a rare arrangement; normally there are three hares and three ears.

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210 a n i mporta n t selj u k pi erced a n d gi l ded bron z e rou n del Konya, Anatolia, second half 12th century Size: 12.5 cm diameter The iconography of this outstanding plaque is fascinating and extraordinary. A man in a belted tunic is standing on the head of a fabulous beast with a human head, big antlers and two bodies, each with four legs ending in claws and a long curling tail. Four other beasts occupy the leafy vines all around, similar except that they have raptor’s heads, two each side of the central beast, two each side of the man. The man has his hands stretched out to the side, but his relationship with his beasts is unclear. Curious composite beasts are a feature of Seljuk Turk iconography, brought from deepest Central Asia and connected to its most distant past. In Konya they are ever-present on its old stones. There is a common theme going back millennia – the ‘hero’, Man, struggling with the beast that is his own nature. Very often this is presented in human evolutionary terms, as in Rumi’s famous poem, and on many of the Ghaznavid carved

marble slabs. The man here is standing on the head of one big beast, but still has to wrestle with two others. It is tempting to point out that this is the real meaning of ‘Jihad’. Achieving control over the writhing demon that is the ego. Of course, no one really wants to take on something so difficult; it is much easier to behead people on TV, throw homosexuals off buildings, and believe that you are doing God’s work. This iconography appears on two related plaques, in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, and in the collection of Rifaat Sheikh al-Ard in Riyadh. They are smaller, probably harness decorations, but what is striking is how much more conventional they are, even Westernized, in what they show. Each has a princely figure on horseback fighting a serpentine dragon, a design that lacks the mystery and power of this unique roundel.

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2 1 1 a n e a r ly i s l a m i c b r o n z e p o r t a b l e c a n n o n ( m i d f a) Syria, circa 1300 Size: 30.5 cm length with tail; 11.5 cm maximum width Kufic inscriptions: May God prolong its life… The cannon itself reflects the ‘International Fatimid’ style typical of objects made in Syria during the 12th century, of which the Kufic calligraphy of the inscriptions is equally characteristic. The long-eared hare was also popular, popping up more frequently in Fatimid-dominated areas than elsewhere. Best known is the figure in bronze that belonged to Cary Welch, accordingly dubbed the ‘Welch Rabbit’. The bulbous breech-end and narrow barrel-mouth are essential for creating the pressure needed to expel pellets and fire with force. The vase-shaped cannon illustrated in Walter de Milemete’s De Nobilitatibus Sapientii Et Prudentiis Regum, from 1326, the earliest illustration of a European cannon, displays the same characteristics. As do early Chinese cannons from the Yuan and Ming periods, and the so-called ‘Phalanx-Charging Fire-Gourd’ illustrated in the early Ming treatise Huolongjing. Portable cannons were not designed to expel heavy projectiles, but instead to shoot flames and pellets with a lot of noise. They were especially effective for frightening horses, and thus ideal against an enemy like the Mongols. The significant defeat of the Mongols at Ain Jalut in 1260 by the Mamluks is attributed to the explosive effect of hand cannons. Such devices were attached to wooden poles, and the unusual configuration of the legs of this

Hare-Cannon, with its concave underside, are specifically designed for fixture to a pole. In the West, including the Islamic Near-East in the 12th century, the portable cannon developed from the hand-held flame-throwers that were familiar from the 10th century in Byzantium. The discovery of the composition of gunpowder was made in China, and its military potential was already analysed there in the 10th century. The diffusion of this information took place when Yuan China was part of the vast Mongol Empire. The intense political competition that existed, initially between Islamic states and Christian Europe, but more importantly within the competing political entities of Europe, provided the impetus that drove the development of the ever-more sophisticated technology in firearms. This bronze portable cannon is the earliest example of an Islamic firearm so far known. According to Ibn Khaldun writing in 1377, heavy cannons were in use during the 12th century, notably at the siege of Sijilmas in the Maghreb by Sultan Abu Yusuf. Heavy cannons were used for sieges, whereas portable cannons were designed to frighten horses with noise, fire and pellets. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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2 1 2 a pa n e l o f t w e lv e m a m l u k h e x ag ona l pl aqu e s Cairo, Egypt, circa ad 1290 Size: 20 cm long Carved wood with bone Each of the plaques was nailed to a pine backing, now removed, some of which bore inscriptions in Italian, so that at some time in the 19th century they were part of an orientalist décor in Italy. Other polygonal plaques from what was once probably a mimbar have appeared in the Toulouse-Lautrec Collection, Drouot Montaigne, 7th June 1999, lot 148; and in the Tajan sale of 30th November 2009, lot 54. Better known are the twelve plaques from the Stora Collection, exhibited along with a central star in the Munich Exhibition of 1910, and published by F. Sarre and F. R. Martin in Die Austellung von Meisterwerken Muhammedanischer Kunst in Munchen, 1910, Munich, 1912, pl. 250. (See below.)

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2 13 a fa t i m i d c a r v e d m a r b l e ja r a n d sta n d Egypt, 10th–11th century ad Size: jar 56 cm high; stand 32 cm high The jar is fluted, with two handles, and an inscription in Kufic script around the shoulder: ‘In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful, Perfect Blessing and Grace and uninterrupted happiness to the one who drinks [from this]’ The base (kilga) stands on four feet and is carved with architectural features including columns on each side. Among the most beautiful objects produced in the Fatimid period are a series of monumental water jars, carved from a single block of marble, the shape calling to mind a giant fruit or pod. They were made for grand private dwellings, or public buildings such as

mosques or madrassas. Of the surviving examples in Egypt, the majority are in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (see: Gaston Wiet, Album du Musee Arabe du Caire, Cairo, 1930, no. 11). A similar example with a Kufic inscription but no handles, found in the Al-Mughawir mosque in Alexandria, was exhibited at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna in 1998–9, as part of the Schatze der Kalifen exhibition of Fatimid art. Outside Egypt comparable vessels are extremely rare. There are two in the Benaki Museum, Athens, published in Heavenly Art, Earthly Beauty, ed. Mikhail Piotrovsky and John Vrieze, De Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam, 1999, nos. 99, 100. A third example is in a private English collection.

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2 1 4 a n i vo r y c h e s s - p i e c e Probably Nishapur, Iran, 11th century Size: 6.2 cm high This two-horned gaming piece is the equivalent of our mitre-coiffed Bishop on the chessboard. Therefore, being from Iran, he may be an Ayatollah, nowadays part of a set without the King and Queen. Horns are usually an attribute of the Devil, so a considerable adversary on the chessboard. On the other hand, each player has two, one patrolling White and the other Black, but to get an explanation for that you would probably need to talk to a Cathar.

2 15 f o u r e a r ly i s l a m i c j a d e s Afghanistan, 10th – 11th century A cruciform belt fitting engraved with an elaborated Kufic inscription. Size: 4 × 4.2 cm A cruciform belt-fitting. Size: 3.5 × 4 cm A belt-buckle with copper gem-settings and hook Size: 3.7 × 5 cm A finger ring. Size: 2.5 × 2.5 cm These plaques have a significance beyond what their humble appearance suggests. The great polymath al-Biruni (983–1048) described jade, its origin in Khotan, its hardness and the difficulty of working it, and its various ‘magical’ qualities. Current academic opinion has it that jade only appeared in the Islamic world in the second quarter of the 15th century, under

the Timurids and as a result of the vast steppe empire established by Genghis Khan 200 years earlier. These plaques – along with another group in the al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait – date to the Ghaznavid era, and so close to the time when al-Biruni lived. So far they represent the earliest use of jade in the Islamic world.

216 a gi lded a n d n i ell oed cast bronze i ncense-bu r n er Khorassan, 11th–12th century ad Size: 9 cm high, 8.7 cm diameter Cast bronze, gilding, niello The shape of this unusual incense-burner is clearly derived from the shape of a Buddhist reliquary, familiar from pre-Islamic times throughout Afghanistan and further East. Unusually for an Islamic bronze it has remained true to the original form, and the two rings beneath the knop recall the pagoda-like finials that crown such reliquaries (see: Richard Ettinghausen, The “Wade Cup” in the Cleveland Museum of Art, its Origin and Decoration, Ars

Orientalis vol. 2, 1957, figs. F and G ). A prayer in elegant Kufic calligraphy set against a niello background runs around the cover, punctuated by three circular medallions containing plantforms. The body is decorated with a scrolling vine-pattern in niello. The knop is pierced vertically as a funnel for smoke. (Inventory mark under the foot: MTW 328)

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2 17 a n e p h r i t e j a d e s e a l of t h e t i m u r i d ru l er sh a h ru k h Herat, Afghanistan, first half 15th century Size: 7.52 cm high, 3.57 × 3.59 cm base The seal is in the form of an elephant standing on a square base, under which ‘Shahrukh Bahadur’ is carved in angular Kufic. Shahrukh was the fourth son of Tamerlane, whom he succeeded as ruler of the Timurid Empire in 1404, until 1447. The same term ‘Bahadur’ is used in the inscription of a building known as the tomb of Shahrukh in Damqan (probably a khanqah): ‘The construction of this building was done during the reign of the Great Sultan Shahrukh Bahadur, may his kingdom be everlasting.’ Angular Kufic was popular under the Timurids, and an ideal script for crafting into squares. Such squares are familiar as

counter marks on coins of the period. The inscription here is based on a grid of 17 × 17, often used. The 14th-century bronze seal of Abu Ishaq in the C.L. David Collection, Copenhagen, has a 29 × 29 grid. Both are prime numbers, and probably their indivisibility was symbolically significant. The shape of the seal and the squared script derive from Chinese prototypes, which is not surprising since Shahrukh promoted close ties with China, particularly for trade. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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2 1 8 a r a r e a k- k o y yo n l u i r o n wa r m a s k Azerbaijan or Eastern Anatolia, 2nd half 15th century Size: 24 cm high The reason for dating this mask to the second half of the 15th century, and more specifically to the reign of Uzun Hasan (r. 1453–78), is that it was he who expanded the realm of the Ak-Koyunlu, the White Sheep Turcoman federation, from Baghdad to Khorasan after his defeat of the Black Sheep Turcoman leader Jahan Shah in 1467. He reigned supreme for six years and then had his own comeuppance at the hands of the Ottomans under Mehmet II, later the Conqueror, at the battle of Otlukbeli in 1473. A large quantity of Ak-Koyunlu armour, helmets, body-armour, leg and arm guards were transported to Constantinople and dumped in the St Irene basilica that was in use as the Ottoman armoury, available for equipping the army whenever the need arose. Each piece of armour was stamped with the St Irene arsenal mark when it entered; this is why the Ak-Koyyunlu armour, which in fact forms a distinct group of its own, has long been deemed Ottoman. In the later 19th century, when such armour was no longer needed, the arsenal of St Irene was cleared out and its contents dumped of the quayside to be sold as scrap metal. A Genoese ship delivering grain arrived just as there was an outbreak of plague, and the crew, desperate to leave quickly, bought a quantity of the armour as ballast for the ship’s return journey. Once safely back home, the ballast was dumped in Genoa harbour as soon as the ship had moored. Lord Curzon passed through Genoa on his way back from India. He noticed a local woman cooking in a pot made from an Ottoman helmet to which a handle had been riveted. Making enquiries, he

learned about the mound of Ottoman armour submerged in the port. An ‘Italian’ had already lifted a quantity and made off with it; I suspect it was Mr Stibbert. Curzon organized a dredger, took the rest back to London, and donated it to our Royal Armouries at the Tower of London. Alas, now it is all in Leeds, whence in the name of regionalization it has been dispersed. I have nothing against the City of Leeds, but the result is that nobody ever sees a very significant collection of arms and armour. Most of those Curzon pieces have the St Irene Arsenal mark; this mask does not, and is therefore a later rescue from a battlefield. Seven masks of this type are known. The 1910 Munich Catalogue describes the example in the Imperial Armoury in Moscow (now in the Hermitage, St Petersburg), as 16th century. Interestingly, it is still attached to a helmet by its hinge. The example in the Khalili Collection was once nailed up at the back of a carpet shop in Tehran. The Mask now in the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, was acquired at Christie’s, London, in 1997. The other four came from excavations near Kiev. I suspect that when someone pays attention to armour of the Ottoman Empire, the different groups will be better differentiated; Imperial from Constantinople; trophies from battles, including Mamluk Egypian; Black and White Sheep federations; Persians. The army was the defining institution of the Ottoman Empire during four hundred years, and therefore the way it looked was extremely important. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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219 a m a m lu k t i l e Syria, mid-15th century ad Size: 19 cm high This tile, underglaze painted in blue on white with the image of an Oud, is one of only four known tiles of the period showing musical instruments. One, in the Damascus National Museum, shows a rectangular spike-fiddle (see: Esin Atil, Renaissance of Islam, The Art of the Mamluks, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1981, no. 91). The two

others are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (see: John Carswell, Some Fifteenth Century Hexagonal Tiles from the Near East, Victoria and Albert Museum Yearbook 3, 1972); and the American University of Beirut (see: D. Mackay, A Guide to the Archaeological Collections in the University Museum, Beirut, 1951).

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22 0 a n o t tom a n h e x ag ona l pl aqu e Turkey, circa 1500 ad Size: 17.5 cm, Mammoth ivory and wood Apart from the elegance of design the plaque is notable for being carved from mammoth ivory. The Ottomans imported quantities of mammoth tusks from Siberia, through the Black Sea port of Caffa, for which Customs records still exist. They favoured mammoth ivory over elephant ivory for their building projects because it was more resistant to climate and weathering, and also provided larger slices. Tests revealed that almost 70 percent of the ivory inlays in the Suleimaniye mosque are made of mammoth ivory.

This type of design is found on early Iznik blue-and-white vessels of the ‘Abraham of Kutahya’ group, and on silver pieces made during the reigns of Sultan Bayezid II (1481–1512) and Sultan Selim II (1512–1520). Sultan Bayezid undertook the restoration of a number of shrines in Turkey, including the tomb of Hajji Bektash, and this superb hexagon was probably once part of one of his restorations. Provenance: Ispenian Collection

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221 a bronze pool or na men t i n t h e f o r m o f t wo t o a d s Herat, Afghanistan, 16th–17th century Size: 16.5 cm long In hot climates the soundtrack of gardens comes from frogs, crickets and birds. These coupling toads, found in a shallow pool in the garden outside the shrine of the Sufi saint, Abdullah Ansari, at Gazorgah above Herat, were perhaps a reminder of the bass-line of that garden’s melody. Ansari lived in the 11th century. His shrine was an important place of pilgrimage, particularly from the 15th century onwards, when the Timurid rulers of Herat developed it into a major architectural complex. Work there was

begun by Shahrukh, Tamerlane’s youngest son, in 1425. The second Mughal emperor, Humayun, felt a special reverence for Ansari, to whose influence he attributed his successful re-conquest of his kingdom of India in 1555, after fifteen years of exile in Persia. This surprising sculpture is heavily cast and finely moulded, and probably dates from the early Mughal period. The report of the scientific examination by Striptwist Laboratory is available.

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222 a ta lism a n of ja de Probably Herat, Afghanistan, late 15th century Size: 10.5 cm diameter This talisman is most unusual, and in the course of a lifetime’s interest in such things, I have not come across another one like it. Moreover, it just arrived one day as a present, quite unexpectedly, perhaps because I was in need of whatever it provides. Its shape, the twelve-pointed star, is associated with the Bektashi dervishes of Turkey, usually made from a mottled green and brown stone known as shahmaksud. These Bektashi stars are much thicker because the stone is much softer, and they are rarely engraved. Hajji Bektash’s own star kept at his shrine, made of rock crystal and of similar size to this, is an exception, but the inscription on it is simple by comparison. Here the outer ring contains the Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Qur’an. The inner ring is engraved with Surat al-Ikhlas, one of the shortest chapters of the Qur’an, in larger letters because it is shorter than the first chapter. This circle frames a six-pointed star, inscribed within its central hexagon with Mahdi Mu’awad Ajel-Allah Ta’ala Farajaha (the one who was appointed by Allah to come to give relief to humanity); and in its six points with Allah, Ali, Hussein, Fatima, Hassan, Muhammad. Between the points are: Adam Safi-Allah (Adam the purity of Allah); Nuh Najji-Allah (Noah who escaped with the help of Allah); Ibrahim Khalil-Allah

(Abraham the Beloved of Allah); Musa Kalim-Allah (Moses who spoke to Allah); Isa Ruh-Allah (Jesus the Breath of Allah); Muhammad Rasul-Allah (Muhammad the Prophet of Allah). So it is a heavy duty crowd that are being invoked. The only bit of interpretation I can offer is that the six-pointed star represents the numerical equivalent of Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, the opening phrase of the Qur’an, calculated by the abjad system. The letters of the phrase add up to 786. The star is made up of V (Arabic 7), with A superimposed (Arabic 8), and the six points of the star once the lines are drawn. I take the view that there is no point in trying to figure out what it all ‘means’. That is the equivalent of the academic investigation of Sufism, which is a relatively futile exercise. It is impossible to investigate something that operates beyond the scope of the intellect using the intellect. Like trying to track the Universe with a pair of binoculars. The alternative is to develop the perceptive capacity, the ‘telescopes’, that is the aim of all spiritual endeavours. The important question is, does it work, does it function? We don’t need to understand the workings of the internal combustion engine to get in a car and go somewhere. We just have to know how to drive. And have the key, of course.

223 a bek ta sh i ta sl i m taj ston e Turkey, 18th century or earlier Size: 8 cm diameter This example is unusual for its various attachments; a black stone talisman, two spherical ‘eye’ agates, a mottled green hardstone bead, and a tooth of carnelian that may be the remains of a larger piece. The large majority of such stones are unadorned, accompanied only by the two polygonal beads. Occasionally they have a single stones inset at the centre, either an opal or an inscribed carnelian.

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22 4 a ch a l cedon y ba r a k a bea d Inscribed with the name of Atziz Kwarezm Shah Central Asia, 1127–1156 Size: 2.5 cm Sometimes tiny objects pack a mighty punch. This one certainly does. Beads such as this were given by Sufi teachers to their disciples to wear about their person, to act as receivers of baraka, providing a connection with the energy with which their teacher was working. At different times, and in different places, different minerals were deemed most effective. In the 14th century, in Central Asia, opal was the stone of choice; later a green stone mined near Kandahar by a Sufi shaikh, Shah Maksoud, worked better. In more recent times, rutile quartz proved more effective. In 12th-century Central Asia chalcedony agate best performed this function, of which this bead is an example. Atziz Kwarezm Shah, whose name and titles are inscribed on the bead, was the second Kwarezm Shah; he ruled a mighty empire, embracing Iran, parts of Central Asia and Turkey from 1127 to 1156. The genealogies of Central Asia are famously difficult to unravel, because, apart from rulers, exact dates of lifetimes are absent. According to tradition, the Sufi teacher of Muhammad I, first hereditary ruler of Kwarezm, was Hussein Balkhi, to whom the Sultan gave his daughter in marriage. If this was so, Hussein Balkhi was the brother-in-law of Atziz, as well as his spiritual guide, and thus this bead may have been given by him to Atziz. The absence of the title ‘Sultan’ in the inscription, which you would normally expect, supports this possibility, since no man was a sultan in the presence of his teacher. The tantalizing link is that Hussein Balkhi was Jalaluddin Rumi’s grandfather. The problem is the span of time involved, since Rumi was born in 1207. As a result, modern scholars consider the attempt to link Rumi’s family to royalty to be a familiar exercise in burnishing their credentials – as if

Rumi needed it! I’m not so sure; tradition usually contains particles of truth, however scrambled they may become. Nowadays, the idea that stones can have a function beyond what normally we are able to observe is regarded by ‘serious’ folk as fanciful, to say the least. And those who believe in the marvellous properties of crystals and suchlike are seen as part of the Lunatic Fringe. These crystal-believers may be fairly loony, but at the same time they may not. Perhaps they respond to an intuitive feeling that we are linked to the inanimate in Creation, although the knowledge of how to make use of this connection seems almost entirely absent. In 1660, the English antiquarian, John Aubrey, was excited by his acquisition of what he called ‘a curious Turkey’, meaning a turquoise stone ring. He noticed that it has become nubilated, or cloudy, at north and south. ‘It is a much more curious ring than I knew it to be when I bought it.’ He observed it over the next five years and noticed that the constellation-like nubilations moved and changed, which intrigued him greatly. In 1663 Aubrey was elected to the newly founded Royal Society, and remained close to Robert Boyle, one of the founders of modern chemistry, and president of the Society for a decade. In 1666 he loaned the ring to Boyle, who was curious about the movement in stones. I’m not sure if Boyle’s comments survive, although drawings were planned every two or three weeks to chart the movements. But it is interesting that until relatively recent times the most eminent scientists were able to consider minerals as part of an animate cosmos, rather than merely the inanimate product of geological events. The Stone of Scone reflects an intuitive understanding of minerals, as also does our love of precious gems, which surely reveals some pull beyond their enormous monetary value.

2 2 5 t h e k h wa r a z m s h a h i g o l d 1 0 m i t h qa l w e i g h t d i n a r Ghazna, Afghanistan, ah 613 / ad 1216–17 Weight: 44.48 grams Size: 4.5 cm diameter This rare numismatic masterpiece is one of two known examples that were struck by the Khwarazmshah ‘Ala al-Din Muhammad bin Takash (1200–1220) to celebrate his capture of the city of Ghazna. The other example is in the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, dated ah 618, the year Genghiz Khan destroyed Ghazna. Such coins were not meant for circulation, but as gifts to members of the royal court. Most other large medallion-sized coins of the time were taken from moulds, because the dies required to strike such coins quickly broke from the force of the strikes. This coin probably passed briefly into the hands of ‘Ala al-Din’s son, Jalal al-Din Mangubarni: briefly, because he made the mistake of ordering the murder of the envoys sent to his court by Genghiz Khan.

Inscriptions: Obverse, outer margin: ‘This dinar was struck in the city of Ghazna in the year 613.’ Obverse, inner circle: ‘In the name of the greatest Sultan Allah al-Dunya wa al-Din Abu-al-Fateh Muhammad bin Sultan.’ Reverse, outer margin: ‘Muhammad the Messenger of Allah who sent him with guidance and the religion of truth that he might make it supreme over all other religions even though polytheists may detest it.’ Qur’an ix, 33 Reverse, middle circle: ‘There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. Al-Nasir Allah leader of the believers [the Caliph in Baghdad].’ Between the circles: ‘God is pure’, repeated three times (a Sufi zikr). Provenance: Private collection, UK

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2 2 6 a b u ’ l h a s a n g h a f fa r i , sa ni’ a l-mulk 1814–1866 Shunga–Persica Iran, second half 19th century Gouache on paper Size: 22.3 × 34 cm When Christie’s illustrated this miniature in a catalogue (8th October 2015), they imposed a grey square on the core of the action, like a Victorian fig-leaf or wisp of drapery. On receiving the full image I was surprised at their prudery; far from the full-on Al Goldstein-type image from Screw magazine that I expected, it was no more revealing than a demur spread in a 1950s-era Playboy. They explained that it was done to enable the catalogue to circulate without censorship in the Middle East. Fair enough, but even Wahhabis will one day have to shed such veils of hypocrisy. Abu’l Hasan was appointed court painter by Muhammad Shah Qajar in 1842, and sent to Italy and Paris to study European painting. This undoubtedly gave a new European flavour to Qajar painting, which is evident in this example, but doesn’t quite explain why it is so different from mainstream Qajar erotica. The man’s unusual hairstyle caught my attention: it seemed more Japanese than Persian. It then became obvious that the model for Abu’l Hasan’s composition must have been a

Shunga print. The most eminent collectors of Persian paintings in France, Henri Vever and Louis Cartier, were also avid collectors of Ukiyo prints. Such prints were in circulation earlier, and their influence can be seen in the paintings of Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, Vuillard and others. From what is known of Abu’l Hasan’s personality, he must have loved Shunga prints, as much for the indelicacy of their subject-matter as for the delicacy of their execution. He painted several versions, two of which at least are larger-format oil paintings. It is striking that these other versions are more typically Qajar in their formality, and it is tempting to surmise that he re-worked the theme again once he had encountered Shunga prints. This composition is probably based on a print either by Katsukawa Shuncho, Tsukika Settei or Kitagawa Utamaro. Another version of the same scene, with the five people involved differently arranged, was painted c. 1860 by Mirza Baba Naqqashbashi, but in pure Qajar style with no trace of the Ukiyo. (See Sotheby’s London, 8th October 2014, lot 79.)

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227 a m ugh a l c h a l c edon y r ibbed spher e North India, 17th century Size: 6 cm

228 a r a r e sh a h ja h a n-per iod ja de spoon India, Deccan or Mughal, second quarter 17th century Size: 19.5 cm long The bowl of the spoon is carved of pale green jade in a cusped leaf form, with a frieze of tri-lobal leaves at its base where it joins the handle of black jade. The curved handle has a peacock’s head finial, an interlocking lotus-petal design along its upper surface, and fluting along its underside. Better known but less refined is the long-handled green jade ladle in the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, confiscated at the Revolution from the collection of Charles Paul Jean-Baptiste Bourgevin Vialart de Moligny, comte de Saint-Morys. A small jade spoon inset with rubies and emeralds in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, also has a bird-head finial. Other related

examples are in the Khalili Collection and the al-Thani Collection. Manuel Keene, Treasury of the World, Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals, Thames and Hudson, 2001, no. 2.13 J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam, Treasures from the Khalili Collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2007, no. 327 Moura Carvalho, Khalili Collection, London, 2010, pp. 86–7 The Al-Thani Collection, Beyond Extravagance, A Royal Collection of Gems and Jewels, Amin Jaffer (ed.), Assouline, 2013, nos. 22, 23 Jade, des Empereurs à l’Art Deco, Huei-chung Tsao (ed.), Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, Paris, 2016, no. 169

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2 2 9 t wo s i lv e r g i lt t e m p l e p e n da n t s North India, 17th century Size: 13 cm and 10 cm high

2 3 0 a n i r o n h o r s e s h o e da m a s c e n e d i n s i lv e r Ottoman Bosnia, 18th century Size: 12 × 10 cm The inscription in Persian, ‘Yadgar-e-Saray Bosnia’ means ‘Memento of the Palace of Bosnia’. ‘Saray Bosna’ appeared on the coins minted there during the reign of Suleiman II (1687–1691), and continued to be used throughout the following century. Several horseshoes of this type have been published, always with the fanciful idea that they were made to be nailed onto the hooves of horses. Their purpose is altogether more interesting, and less absurd. Even today, outside the big cities, you can see horseshoes nailed up above doors, which are there to bring good luck. There remains an unresolved argument about

which way up the horseshoes should be. Those who maintain they should point up believe that in such a position they collect the luck, which drips out and is lost if pointing downwards. The downers believe that they collect luck anyway, and it have to distribute it through the ends pointing down. It is a very ancient tradition, reflected in different ways in many cultures. This example, too, must have been made for nailing up in a dwelling, rather like a lightening conductor, but in this case to attract the Baraka, or blessing; good luck, as it is also called.

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231 a m a ssi v e st eel sh r i n e l o c k Iran, 17th century Size: 24 cm with key It bears a quatrain reported as being recited by Ibn al-Burhan on his deathbed. Known as Abu’l-Fath ibn Ahmad, Abu’l-Fath al- Burhani (d. 518/1124) was a Shafi’i theologian from Baghdad, who taught at the Nizamiyah College in Baghdad.

It reads: ‘I was filled with astonishment by scholars who turn a blind eye [to those] who wear the cloak of caution in the face of calamity and circle the oppressor as though they were circumambulating the Bayt [the Ka‘bah] at the time of pilgrimage.’

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232 t h e em bl em of t h e su f i ‘o r d e r o f fr a t e r n i t y ’ Iran, circa 1909 Size: 4 × 4.5 cm The Anjoman-e Okhovat, the ‘Order of Fraternity’, was established in 1899 by Ali Khan Zahir al-Dawleh, son-in-law of Nasser al-Din Shah, and included the leading intellectuals of the time. The founding date of the Order, 1317 (ad 1899), is included in the Emblem, along with crossed axes, a begging-bowl and prayer-beads – typical attributes of the dervish. The Order was concerned with social issues and supported constitutional reform. As a result, when Muhammad Ali came to the throne in 1907, he closed it down and even destroyed its

premises. On his dethronement two years later, the Order was re-constituted by its original founder, Ali Khan al-Dawleh, and it was at this point that the Emblems were made, in copper, silver and gold, for sale to raise money for the poor. Only three examples were made of pink gold inset with diamonds. This one was made for Ali-Gholi Khan Bakhtiari, known as Sardar As’ad Bakhtiari, head of the Haft Lang tribal confederation, and one of the leaders of the Constitutional Revolution of 1909. It was acquired from his family by a private collector in France.

2 3 3 b e k t a s h i d e r v i s h ’s b a c k- s c r a t c h e r Turkey, 18th–19th century Size: 50 cm long Carved wood We know this belonged to a Bektashi dervish because of the shape of the turban carved in the ‘spoon’. Each of the Sufi orders in Turkey had its own particular headdress, easily identifiable, and this is an unusually fine example of its type. Hajji Bektash, originally from Nishapur, was active in Anatolia between 1209 and 1271, the time of the Sultanate of Rum, and contemporary with Jalal ad-Din Rumi. His followers became close to the military as the Ottoman Empire consolidated its power, and particularly to the elite Janisseries. While it may seem odd to us that a mystical enterprise should connect itself to a war-machine, the result was that the Janisseries underwent a life-long spiritual discipline in tandem with their military training. This had many interesting and surprising consequences. This object, nevertheless, represents something of a mystery. The dervish orders, in Turkey and elsewhere, produced a variety of artefacts: begging-bowls made from the coco-de-mer, often beautifully carved; prayer-beads; meditation sticks; stone ‘talismans’ of various kinds; calligraphy, of course; and

back-scratchers. Why back-scratchers, I ask myself? The monastic orders of Europe, the usually misguided equivalents of the Sufi orders, never produced such objects, so do we infer that they hosted fewer fleas than the dervishes of Anatolia? And because the majority of the back-scratchers are identifiably Bektashi, were they more infested than the Mevlevis, Qadiris and other dervish fraternities? This is a deep question, and mystically inclined people have been lax in not picking up on it. I have consulted various sages on the issue. From two, I received an identical and interesting resolution to the conundrum. When you get an itch in the middle of your back, in just the place you are unable to reach without advanced yogic training, it is a sign of incipient enlightenment. The backscratcher is designed to stimulate this chakra, and hasten the oncoming enlightenment. On reflection, I think they are in cahoots, and having me on. I have an itch exactly in the place defined, and no amount of scratching with this fine implement has made me any wiser now than I was before.

23 4 a bek ta sh i c a rv ed c a r n el i a n t a l i s m a n i c p e n da n t Turkey, 18th–19th century Size: 3.5 × 2.8cm Silver frame and loop Finely engraved with emblems typical of the Order: crossed axes, begging-bowl, prayer-beads, and the inscription ‘Ya ‘Ali medad’.

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2 3 5 a m a g n i f i c e n t s a fav i d q u r ’a n Iran, mid–16th century Size: 39.5 × 26 cm The manuscript has 317 folios, and 6 fly-leaves. The text is written in outstanding black Thuluth calligraphy, 12 lines to the page, on gold-sprinkled buff-coloured paper, framed by borders of narrow lines in gold, orange, blue, green and black, set within wide margins. Illuminations: The manuscript opens (ff.1v, 2r) with a magnificent double Shamsa in predominant blue and gold against a background of scrolling floral tendrils in pale gold. The frontispiece (ff.2v, 3r) is richly illuminated, enclosing the Fatihah written in white within facing gold medallions. The beginning of the Sura al-Baqara is written on a gold background, with a richly decorated title and gold floral borders. The margins of each page thereafter are decorated with

octagonal stars in gold, and palmettes in blue. Gold rosettes mark the verse divisions, and the Sura headings are illuminated throughout. The final verses (ff.314v,315r) are written on gold backgrounds and illuminated, within gold floral borders. The text is followed by four sumptuously decorated pages of prayers (ff.315v-317r) written in white on gold backgrounds. The original binding is stamped and gilded on the outside, with filigree patterns and colours on the inside. The seal impressions on f.1r and 317v, indicating that this Qur’an belonged to Ibrahim Adil Shah, suggest also that it was a royal present to him from Iran to celebrate his accession in 1579. Provenance: Ibrahim Adil Shah II (1579–1626), Bijapur

bija pu r Bijapur is worth a visit. Not many people go there – it is a long slog from Hyderabad or Bombay, between which it sits mid-way on the northern edge of Karnataka, along thin roads rumbling with furiously driven trucks. The few hotels are designed for itinerant traders. Once there, however, it all seems worth it, not only, but mainly for the astonishing Gol Gumbaz, a great behemoth built of basalt, with the second largest dome in the world, 40 metres in diameter, larger that Santa Sophia, and only a little smaller than St Peter’s in Rome. The great dome is supported by a cube 47.5 metres on each side, and beneath it is a raised platform the size of a tennis court. Opposite the entrance is the only feature that breaks the cube: a deep, demi-octagonal, high-vaulted recess that occupies a good part of its wall. The acoustical properties of the space are extraordinary. Outside, each corner of the building has a seven-storey tower. At first sight, it appears like a dark and squat prototype for the Taj Mahal, built a decade later. Construction of the Gol Gumbaz began in 1626, in the last year of the life of Ibrahim Adil-Shah II, and continued under his son Muhammad until 1656, the very year the latter died. He was buried in the Gol Gumbaz, along with various members of

his family when their time came, the graves marked by modest raised batons of marble arranged incongruously along one edge of the platform. And since then it has been a mausoleum. But there is another version of the purpose of this mighty building. It was the music room of the Adil-Shahs. The deep recess was where the sultan and his court reclined; the platform was large enough to accommodate a great number of musicians, of whom there were 3,000–4,000 at any one time at court; the ‘whispering gallery’ around the base of the dome was for the women; the walls are tunnelled with staircases leading to the windows, where wide sills provide seats for an audience. Ibrahim II was a renowned composer, as well as a poet and warrior – he mainly wrote poems to his wife, to his favourite musical instrument, and to his elephant, Atish Khan – and it seems probable that the conception for the grandest music room ever constructed was his. He announced publicly that his aim was to establish a kingdom based on learning, music, and guruseva (serving the teacher) – in his case Hazrat Banda Nawaj, the Sufi saint of Gulbarga. His son, Muhammad, was mindful of his refined inheritance, and strove to keep it alive.

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236 a c a st bron z e fou n ta i n h e a d i n t h e for m of a l ion South Italy or Sicily, circa 1200 Size: 39 cm long That this bronze is medieval is not in doubt. Its thick casting is typical of bronzes of the 12th and early 13th centuries in Europe, and when it came up in the Flannery sale, Sotheby’s attributed it to north Germany. Cary Welch came to London to view it and declared that it was Indian, either Sultanate, early Mughal or Deccani. The reason behind his thinking was that he had acquired another bronze lion, larger and sitting up, which he was persuaded was made for Emperor Akbar after he had seen the Ashokan pillars supporting similar rampant lions in stone (see: Cary Welch, India, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). It is true that the two lions share certain characteristics, their ears and facial features for example, but the question remains as to whether Cary’s bronze is Indian, or in fact European, as most people suspect. It is superb, whatever it is. Nevertheless, the opinion of such a respected scholar and collector caused confusion in the market-place, which still endured when it was re-offered at auction in 2002. Opinion has changed since then, firmly attributing this lion to Europe, around the year 1200. Analysis of the bronze and its composition has provided no firm clues, apart from excluding north Germany and suggesting a possible Islamic origin. The problem is that it does not conform exactly in its style and detail to the categories of lions known, catalogued and attributed to the main centres of artistic production in Europe at the time. And yet, wherever it was made, there existed a sophisticated knowledge and tradition of casting bronze. Southern Italy and Sicily was one such area, with its mixed heritage of Byzantine, Arab and Norman cultures, which would also explain the ‘exotic’ features that led Cary Welch to suggest an Indian origin. In fact this lion does have close relatives, quite a number of them, that have been overlooked to the extent that they have never been comparatively categorized as a distinct group. An exception was a paper in the Journal of the David Collection, Vol. I (Kjeld von Folsach and Joachim Meyer, eds., Copenhagen, 2003), to celebrate the acquisition of their magnificent Lion

Door Knocker and demonstrate its Sicilian/Apulian origin. The authors, Joachim Meyer and Peter Northover, point out that the Islamic enclaves in Sicily and Southern Italy only came under Norman domination in 1091, and in the following century there are many examples of Islamic artistic influence in Sicily and in the Romanesque art of Apulia. There were communities of Muslim artisans at Lucera in Apulia and Messina in Sicily whose expertise in bronze casting had already been passed on in the Christian-dominated areas by the early 12th century. The obvious way to check whether objects belong to the same family is to compare their facial features, if they have them, rather like with people. On this basis this Lion Fountainhead, the C.L. David Door Knocker, and the large bronze Lion on loan to the Metropolitan Museum are closely related: prominent eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes with sharply defined eyelids, a human-shaped nose, and curved upper lips that stand out like a moustache. The curls of the mane are another common feature. There are numerous other details on this Lion that are of interest: the copper plug in the top of the head; the sharp teeth that resemble those on the lion’s head on the doors of Bohemond’s tomb at Canosa (early 12th century); the definition of the ribs; the detailing of the fur; and the elegant swish of its tail. The large bronze Lion in the Metropolitan was sold at auction in 1993, and described as Spanish. Subsequently, in 2002, Anna Contadini, Richard Camber and Peter Northover published research that convincingly re-assigned it to Southern Italy, partly based on evidence that came from comparative metal analysis. The reattribution equally affects this Lion Fountainhead, establishing the general area of Southern Italy where once it refreshed an Hauteville or a Hohenstaufen. Provenance: Flannery Collection. Sold at Sotheby’s, London, 1st December 1983 Private collection, UK. Sold at Sotheby’s, London, 9th July 2002 Private collection, UK

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237 t h e or a n i en bu rg fox Berlin, Germany, mid-18th century Size: 102 × 149 cm Oil on canvas The pelts of the Oranienburg fox with two tails, the albino fox and the marten were preserved in the Royal Treasure Chamber of Art and Natural Objects, Berlin, which were used by the anonymous painter. Cabinets of Curiosity often included a selection of natural freaks, and while their fascination has roots in the Ancient World where they were considered portents, it is only quite recently that they have fallen out of favour. When I was a child all the fairs had booths with

mermaids, bearded ladies, Siamese twins and such like on show, that one could view for a small consideration. In The Tempest, Trinculo likes the idea of getting Caliban to England, so that holiday fools will pay to gawk at the monster. It could be argued that TV programmes like ‘Dating Naked’ and ‘Plastic Surgeon’ are the modern equivalents of such freak shows. The fox with two tails was engraved by Johann Elias Ridinger in the mid-18th century.

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238 bron z e a eol i pi l e Germany, 16th century Size: 18.5 cm high Exhibited and published: An Exhibition of Medieval, Renaissance and Islamic Works of Art, Trinity Fine Art, New York, 1995, no. 26 in the catalogue Aeolipiles (a useful word for a scrabble player) or ‘fire-blowers’ are described by Antonio di Pietro Averlino, called Filarete (c. 1400–1465), as equipment for fireplaces. Derived from Antique prototypes, they would be filled with water and placed next to a fire. As the water reached boiling-point, a jet of steam would burst from the mouth into the

fire, making it burn brightly. It looks as if this one has swallowed a large quantity of raw pasta and then, unwisely, drunk a jug of water. Provenance: Oettingen-Wallerstein Collections, Schloss Harburg, Harburg Trinity Fine Art, New York, 1995 Luigi Koelliker, Milan John Winter Collection, London

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239 m a don na a n d c h i l d Size: 66 cm high Limewood A long river journey has worn smooth and reshaped the Heian Bosatsu that follows. This Madonna, by contrast, has been worn ragged and pitted by the remorseless dripping of rain through the ravaged roof of an abbey or church. It is a potent symbol of the religious strife initiated by the Catholic Church, against the Hussites in Czechoslovakia in the 15th century, and against the Protestants in Germany and France in the 16th century. An organization that believes it is the representative of God on Earth seems inevitably to wish to extirpate any attempt at reform as the work of the Devil! Provenance: Paul De Grande Private collection, Belgium

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2 4 0 a r a r e naga r e botok e scu lpt u r e of a bosatsu Japan, Heian period (794–1185), early 12th century Size: 35 cm high Hikoki (Japanese cypress wood) Sculptures of Nagare Botoke (‘Flowing Buddha’) were votive offerings made to Buddhist deities in Heian-period Japan to ward off diseases and plagues. The figures were in single-block technique, with no facial or specific body details, and were then left floating in rivers. Hinoki wood is very light, and highly rot-resistant. Villagers rescued the sculptures from the waters, and then worshipped them as sacred images in their shrines. Very few are known to have survived, and those that have remain in the local shrines where they were placed a millennium ago. I am indebted to Dr Riccardo Montanari for this information.

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2 4 1 a l a c q u e r - m a k e r ’s t r a y Japan, circa 1900 Size: 32 × 22 cm The magical surface of this tray is the result of decades of a master of lacquer working his art on it, so that the surface has built up, layer upon layer, with all the different colours he used, some submerged, some emerging, resulting in a configuration of whirling hues. It is dynamic, poetic, and a moving expression of the qualities that craftsmanship represents. It is not itself an object he was making, but it contains instead multi-shaded shadows of every piece he produced on it.

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2 4 2 a n i vo r y t e a - l e a f ho l d e r Japan, 19th century Size: 12 × 7.5 cm This exquisite thick slice of ivory, with its honey-coloured patina and deceptively simple shape, is typical of the refinement in every detail of the Japanese tea ceremony.

2 4 3 a h u g e wo o d b o w l for m i x i ng l ac qu er Japan, 18th century Size: 76 cm diameter The contrast between the rough wood and the smooth surface of the interior, after years of mixing lacquer, gives this bowl its quintessentially Japanese Zen character. Impossible to explain, but easy to enjoy.

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the evil eye One morning, Bahaudin Naqshband went into the great market of Bokhara with a long pole. He started to shout hoarsely until a crowd gathered, amazed at such behaviour from a man of his fame and dignity. When hundreds of people had assembled, uncertain of what to think or do, Bahaudin took up his pole and started to overturn stalls, until he was surrounded by piles of fruit and vegetables. The Emir of Bokhara sent a representative to Bahaudin’s house, to ask him to attend court immediately and explain himself. Bahaudin said: ‘Let the doctors of law be present, the chief courtiers, the senior administrators, commanders of the army and the most important merchants of this town.’ The Emir, together with his advisers, concluded that Bahaudin had gone mad. Deciding to humour him until they could have him committed to the Abode of Health, the Emir and his court summoned the people named by Bahaudin. When all were assembled, Bahaudin entered the audience-hall. ‘You are no doubt aware, Your Presence Bahaudin,’ said the Emir, ‘why you are here. And you know why the rest of us are here. Please therefore say anything that you have to say.’ Bahaudin replied: ‘Sublime Gateway to Wisdom! It is known to all that a man’s behaviour is always taken as an index of his value. This has reached such a stage with us that a man has to do no more to gain acclaim and approval than to behave in a certain

manner, no matter what his inner state may be. Conversely, if a man merely does something considered objectionable, he is regarded as being objectionable.’ The Emir said, ‘We do not yet understand what you are attempting to teach.’ Bahaudin responded, ‘Every day, every hour, in every man, there are thoughts and inadequacies which, if given vent to, would be illustrated by actions as damaging as my actions in the market-place. My teaching is that these thoughts and shortcomings, due to insufficient understanding, are as damaging and retarding to the community and to the individual as if he were to behave in a riotous manner – and more so.’ ‘What’, said the Emir, ‘is the solution to this problem?’ ‘The solution,’ said Bahaudin, ‘is to realize that people must be improved inwardly, not just prevented by custom from showing their coarseness and destructivity, and applauded if they do not.’ The entire court was so impressed by this remarkable teaching, says the chronicler, that a public holiday of three days was announced, to enable the people to celebrate the receiving of such wisdom. (This story, entitled ‘A Morning’s Marketing’, appears in a collection of traditional teaching tales published by Idries Shah in Thinkers of the East, Idries Shah Foundation, 2016.)

The story defines the Evil Eye as intentional negative energy that damages the social context into which it is projected, regardless of whether its effects are immediately perceived or attributed. On an earlier occasion, Bahaudin Naqshband pointed out the extent to which envy acted as the motor-force behind human activities, and instructed his disciples to examine what happened around them in the light of this information. For both Marx and Freud, prejudice was the key

component of Western culture, whereas Bahaudin insisted that greed was the driving-force of human society and the root cause of its problems. An awareness of the Evil Eye, its causes and its effects, has been part of the folk wisdom of every culture, including our own. Artefacts reflecting this awareness were abundant in the Indus Valley 5,000 years ago, and today are still easy to find outside Western culture, which tends to ignore the concept entirely.

On the wall of a clinic in Wimpole Street that caters for clients from the Middle East

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2 4 4 a dr i l l ed t h i n ey e-agat e a m u l et Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 2.4 cm diameter

2 45 a n ey e-agat e a m u l et Indus Valley, 3rd millennium bc Size: 3.5 cm long Silver mount

2 4 6 a ta l ism a n ic ey e-agat e Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc; engraved 10th/11th century ad Size: 3 × 2.5 cm The bezel is engraved with an eight-pointed star and talismanic formula in abjad Kufic.

2 47 a bron z e a n t i mon y fl a sk i n t h e for m of a bej ew el l ed cou rt esa n Afghanistan, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 12.5 cm high Around her neck she wears a necklace with a talisman to ward off the Evil Eye.

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2 4 8 a fi n e ena melled gold cross i nset w i t h ga r n ets Spain, early 17th century Size: 8 × 4.5 cm Published and exhibited: J. Kugel, Joyeaux Renaissance, Une Splendeur Retrouvée, Paris, 2000, no. 73

2 49 a n i n do -du tc h c a rv ed ost r ic h egg Sri Lanka, dated 1771 Size: 14.5cm high The amorous scene, the trumpeting winged cherubs above the initials ‘CBI’ and ‘IDB’, and the billing doves on a double heart with linked hands, declare this egg to be the commemoration of a happy betrothal. The betrothal ring is held aloft, strung on a garland by the two trumpeting cherubs, and then presented in a box by Cupid to the delighted lady. The passion between them is evident as his hand is clearly trying to get under her skirt. In the final scene she is holding a timepiece and handing him her fan (?), perhaps announcing that she is pregnant. It’s a very happy egg.

Dutch colonial rule in Sri Lanka lasted from 1640 until 1796, and the architectural details are typical of the gabled brick houses of the Low Countries. Moreover, the ‘D’ in ‘IDB’ is smaller, suggesting that it indicates ‘der’ or ‘de’. There are similar eggs in the the Kunstkammer of the Wurttembergisches Landesmuseum in Stuttgart, possibly by the same hand. Provenance: Christopher Gibbs, London Sven Gahlin, acquired 1966

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250 a n ‘i n do -port ugu e se’ c a r v e d i vo r y v e s s e l Probably Ayudhya, Siam, 16th century Size: 11.5 cm diameter, 11.3 cm high; wood mount 17 cm high Ivory and wood This is a modest relic of one of the more extraordinary episodes of European history, one that is overlooked more often than not. The irruption of Vasco da Gama into the Indian Ocean in 1498 was the result of one of the most heroic enterprises ever undertaken. The riches that the Portuguese encountered when an expedition to Morocco unexpectedly captured the Muslim trading emporium of Ceuta in 1415, inspired Henry the Navigator to sponsor expeditions down the West coast of Africa, with the eventual aim of reaching India by sea, and the source of the spice trade. The bloody-minded courage of the Portuguese mariners who gradually extended the reach of their caravels, and transmitted the knowledge to ensure that those who followed them could benefit from what they discovered of the unknown African coast, is one of the great sagas of human skill and endurance. Their ability to understand the wind systems in the Atlantic, gleaned over generations, made it possible for Bartholomew Dias to dare to sail 1,000 miles in the wrong direction to pick up the winds that enabled him to round the Cape of Good Hope for the first time in 1488. Ten years later, Dias’ experience provided the key for Vasco da Gama to enter the Indian Ocean. At the time of Vasco da Gama’s arrival the Indian Ocean was a very long-established and extremely prosperous zone of trade. The sea routes, largely controlled by Muslims, had functioned for centuries in tandem with the overland Silk Roads through Central Asia to trade goods between East and West. The Portuguese, however, had no intention of being part of any system that benefited others; for them the Indian Ocean and its shorelines were now the Kingdom of India, a possession of the Crown of Portugal. Their improbable success that allowed them to impose their grip across such a vast area, considering how few they were, how far from home and how small their fleets,

depended on several factors: overwhelming fire-power, superb seamanship, and bestial brutality (typical of those fulfilling God’s plan) that is reminiscent of Viking berserkers. It took the genius of Don Alfonso d’Albuquerque, the second Viceroy (1510–20), to understand that successful control of the wealth of the region depended on the Portuguese establishing themselves securely at several key strategic points: Ormuz, at the tip of the Persian Gulf; Cochin and Goa on the Malabar coast; and Malacca on the western side of the Malay peninsula, opening routes further East. The heroism involved in achieving these aims inevitably involved an equal amount of savage violence. One result, however, was that Lisbon became the richest trading metropolis in Europe. Albuquerque concluded a treaty with the King of Siam in 1517, which led to the establishment of the largest foreign trading community in Ayudhya. The frieze carved around this ivory probably represents the King and Queen of Siam processing around the fortified walls of their capital. They sit in a gondola-shaped howdah on a richly caparisoned elephant, in the shade of a parasol held by a retainer strapped to the elephant’s backside. Armed cavalry accompany them past swaying palm trees. The carved section of the tusk is fixed with ivory dowels to a wood shelf decorated with a flower similar to those adorning the elephant. The lack of religious motifs suggests it was not a collection box for widows’ mites. Instead, perhaps, it was the equivalent of a commemoration mug for the coronation of King Chairacha in 1534, or King Naresuan in 1590, and held flowers in their honour. According to Radiocarbon Dating Measurement, the tusk is dateable to between 1427 and 1618.

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2 5 1 a n e s k i m o c h i l d ’s b l a n k e t 19th century Size: 151 × 98 cm Eider down and puffin skins I hesitated to include this blanket in the catalogue, because I had illustrated a similar blanket in the 2015 catalogue, and it would be easy to assume that it was the same one, re-offered. The previous one belongs to Errol Fuller – the man who knows about everything that nobody else knows anything about – to whom I had gone to consult about dodos, which interested me at the time. When I saw the blanket on the wall of his house it seemed so beautiful that I begged to borrow it for the exhibition, to which he graciously agreed, stipulating that on no account would he agree to sell it, something I made clear in the catalogue. I had never seen one before, which is hardly surprising since they are extremely rare, particularly in good condition. They become vulnerable once they leave the dry, cold climate for which they were made, with the result that most of the examples in American and European institutions are now badly faded and often disintegrating. Made aware of the rarity of such things by Errol, I was surprised when an elegant young lady approached me at the exhibition one day, and said she had another one just like it that she wished to sell. It came from a baronial hall in Scotland,

where it had long been preserved in a box from which, apparently, it had never been unpacked. Probably for this reason the pale green, grey-blue and dark brown feathers in the border have retained their freshness. Another interesting feature is that the blanket is of double thickness, so two blankets sewn together, with the back composed of twenty rectangular panels of beige and white down. Errol’s blanket is also double, but with the same design on both sides. Another blanket was sold at Sotheby’s in New York in 1990, with the same swag design in the field as Errol’s has, and a dark border. It once belonged to William Sturgis of Boston, Massachusetts, who brought it back from his sailing expeditions in the Pacific and along the Northwest Coast between 1798 and 1810. Therefore, these other two blankets must date also from the 19th century, rather than from the 20th century as I rather timidly suggested in the previous catalogue. Three London buses come along at once, as is well known, but in the case of Eskimo blankets it takes 25 years for such a phenomenon to occur. Provenance: Parlett family, Midlothian, Scotland

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2 5 2 t w e lv e p o s t c a r d s Mario Ruspoli to John Hewett, 1971 When someone like John Hewett disappears, an archive of the endeavours of an extraordinary man are swallowed up by oblivion. He lives on in the memories of those lucky enough to have known him; in his influence on the taste of many who know only the effects of his vision and legend; in the traces left of him by the extraordinary works he handled. For these reasons, this series of twelve postcards sent to him by Mario Ruspoli as a thank-you letter, ephemeral as they may seem, are precious. Mario was known as the ‘Prince of Whales’, because of his extraordinary cinema verité documentary, Les Hommes de la baleine, about whale-hunting by the last harpooners of the Azores, filmed up close in 1956. He was, besides, a real prince, inheriting an ancient title, and while Anatole Dauman’s

comparison of Mario to Pico della Mirandola may be a bit over the top, the breadth of his interests and enthusiasms were thrilling to his entourage, and unusual for their depth at the time. So, no wonder that when Mario and John shared a Mediterranean boat trip in 1971, with George Ortiz among others aboard, they should have fascinated each other. John was one of the first to appreciate the magic of Inuit art, the whole folklore around the dour enterprise of whaling, and the refined products of its murderous enterprise. The text and drawings detail the extraordinary adventure that Mario Ruspoli experienced during the 1956 whale hunt. Like scrimshaw on postcards, it is a unique record of a way of life that has disappeared. The postcards themselves are stills from his film.

i Dear John, As I am sitting next to the lookout in Fayel, at the North West point, I feel guilty for not having yet thanked you for your lovely esquimo harpoon, which has won the admiration of the whole whaler’s fraternity. ii Here are the open boats ready, as always, like in old Nantucket days to hear the motto: “A dead Whale or a Stove Goat”. Aloft the Whale Launch. Meanwhile, we are enjoying some hot stuff, “aguardente” with the boat steerer. Maybe To-morrow will be a great day. The sun will soon set. Time for some submarine fishing to supply supper. iii Strong N.W. Winds. This morning at 5 o’clock. Rough sea and light mist on the horizon. No whaling. So we wait and sober up. Boat crews display the odds and ends which may lead to odd ends. Oars, wafes, mallet, harpoons, levers, gells, buckets, bails, whaleline, steering oar. Etc. –A day has elapsed, awaiting… iv But next morning, Tuesday 1st June, 1956, a sperm bull has been spotted by the lookout somewhere about 25 miles off coast towards America. Here we are rowing, Jose Batata’s boat and Std Barba’s, approaching the whaling grounds, hoisting masts and sail – we’ll soon stop motors and embark the gliding canoos. Full sail, silent as the sperm is “sounding”. 10 o’clock.

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v Our look out, on the motor launch is excited, as he located the spout, about 2 miles off. Meanwhile we dash through the open ocean with a lovely breeze as seen in No. 6. vi What a mighty glide! – Moby Dick is somewhere a mile and a half below, in the plutonium bosom! Watch well mekids! Watch for the blow! Batata is steering with the average rudder used when on sail. Harpoon ready for dart on prow. Wind slowly singing as it swells our sail. vii Ahoy! She blows before us! Manuel is getting ready to dart. We lowered mast and sails as the breeze had fallen. A mighty cahslot indeed! Roam, babes! The virgin is looking at you! Break your arms, ye dogs! Bite your handkerchiefs. Look in my eyes! On us! viii Trancd! Get her! Right in the hump. Manuel knows a quick dart. 5 in the afternoon. The spermbull pulls us towards New Bedford! She shouldn’t go that way! Maybe a masochist whale! The island has disappeared in the horizon since 10 pm. – We are in the wide Atlantic.

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ix What a day! (6 in the afternoon). Took us 150 lance darts to get her in the “flurry”. A bloody job. Now the sea looks like the Hebrews’ Red Sea. We look a hundred years old, don’t we? Manuel is ready for the final lance dart. 85 tons! 14 hours’ chase. x She’s dead and we pause for the camera before smoke, bread, and rough red wine. Your friend Mario took this shot that day, as we were sailing back to Fayal with a lovely western breeze. Took us 24 hours on the vast ocean on an average open boat. Went home singing… The whale dies fin up, saluting the dying sun. xi View of our capture. 68 tons. The factory during the layout. xii A mighty set of scrimshaw in its original place! All this is to say old captain Mario sends a wild salute to his friend John! Mario P.S. Why did I ever come back to this dull city?

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2 5 3 a n e s k i m o wa l r u s i vo r y a m u l e t Bering Sea, 1336–ad 1458 Size: 3.8 cm high This tiny head has an unexpected feature: when viewed against the light its eyes glow yellow. This has been achieved by gouging a groove down the back of the skull to allow light through, with the eye sockets rimmed in black to further enhance the effect. Provenance: Collected in Nome, Alaska; American collection A radiocarbon dating measurement report from RCD Lockinge is available.

254 a n e sk i mo h a n d spea r o f wa l r u s i vo r y Alaska, 19th century Size: 36 cm long

2 5 5 j o h n h e w e t t ’s w h a l e r ’s c a n e East Coast America, 19th century Size: 96.5 cm long The cane is made from the rib of a whale, and is slightly bowed as a result. The top section of the handle is marine ivory, probably tooth of whale. The succeeding octagonal and square sections are enlivened with inlaid turtle-shell images from a whaler’s life: sperm whales, pilot whales, narwhals and sharks; naval flags, harpoons, flaying-knives, cannons and cutlasses; hearts and diamonds from a pack of cards. The faceted top has a mother-of pearl diamond set into a turtle-shell disc. Sailors in whalers had time on their hands, for scrimshaw and the fashioning of canes in the course of their long voyages.

Scrimshaw were usually for sale, but canes more for presenting a dandy image on their return to the home port. This cane is one of the dandiest of all. Whaling now seems anachronistic, except for the sushi-lovers of Japan. In the 19th century great fortunes came from whale blubber, the essential lubricant of the Industrial Revolution. Henrietta Howland, daughter of the biggest blubber baron from New Bedford, was known as the ‘Witch of Wall Street’, and was reckoned the wealthiest woman in the world when she died in the early 20th century.

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2 5 6 a n e s k i m o wa l r u s i vo r y a d z e Okvik Culture, St Lawrence Sound, 400 bc–ad 100 Size: 24.5 cm long

257 t h e c ot t el sist er s’ spoons Not illustrated Jamestown, Massachusetts, 17th–18th century Size: 19 cm long Buffalo horn In 1607, three ships carrying 104 men landed at a place they called Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Surprisingly, they named the place after the English King James I, who had forced them to cross the Atlantic to practise their Puritan faith freely. Thirteen years later, 102 settlers aboard the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts at a place they called

Plymouth, and with these two colonies, English settlement in North America was born. The Cottels were a prominent Jamestown family, and the names of their three daughters, Eliza, Jane and Emma, each engraved on a handle, followed by ‘Jamestown Mass’, express the family’s pride in their hometown, their neat homestead, and their avoidance of luxury.

2 5 8 a w h a l e r ’s c a p s t a n Not illustrated Portugal, 19th century Size: 1m 20cm high Oak and mahogany A whaler was wrecked by a storm off the north coast of Portugal as it waited to unload its catch at a whaling station. When the storm abated the wreck was stripped, and this capstan was stowed in the station’s loft once its brass fittings had been removed. The whaling station went out of business and the capstan found its way to Cornwall, where it remained until its home and contents were sold in 2015.

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2 59 s i x e x c e p t i o n a l e s k i m o m a r i n e i vo r y f i g u r i n e s On kind loan from a private collection

sea otter 16th–17th century Size: 9 cm long The sea otter is a most unusual creature; the more one learns about them, the more the great skill of the creator of this masterpiece is revealed. For example, the fifth digit on each of its hind feet is longer than the other four. They spend a lot of time lying on their back, but when hungry they crush an abalone on their stomach with a stone. Dislodging an abalone is no mean feat, since it clings to a rock with a force equal to 4,000 times its body weight. The otters use stones to get them, and are among the few mammals to use tools. When Bob Dylan was asked during his first interview with Playboy magazine why he

grew his hair so long, he answered that we all have a choice: of having our hair growing inside our heads, or outside. He preferred the latter, because it promoted clearer thinking. The sea otter would agree, unreservedly. It has the thickest fur of any creature on Earth, an outer layer so dense that the lower layer remains dry while it spends its life in the coldest water. Not needing blubber for insulation, it probably mocks fat seals and porpoises. The quality of its fur nearly caused its extinction, but happily in 1911 their slaughter was outlawed, and now their colonies thrive.

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seal a mulet Thule Culture, North Alaska, 1000–1600 Size: 7 cm long The seal has been killed by a harpoon in the head as it emerged at its breathing hole in the ice. Lifted onto the ice, it was then attached by thongs to its killer’s two skis, which are shown along its back, to make dragging it back to the igloo an easier job. The neck is pierced for suspension.

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na rw h a l a m u l et South Alaska, 17th–18th century Size: 13 cm long The whale’s name derives from Old Norse, the word ‘nar’ meaning ‘corpse’, because the narwhal’s grey colour and summertime habit of lying still near the surface of the sea, made it look like a drowned sailor. But its great claim to fame is the long helical tusk, which is an elongated upper-left canine. This, when old and patinated, is an object of mysterious beauty. I have written at length about such tusks for the first entry of this catalogue, although why they should be so useful for a whale is still not understood. They are picky eaters: flatfish in summer, Arctic cod and Greenland halibut during the winter. And they communicate among themselves by clicks, whistles and bumps. They are rarely represented by Eskimo ivory carvers.

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t r a nsfor m at iona l ta l ism a n Alaska, 16th–17th century Size: 9.5 cm long Talismans depicting transformations were believed to be especially powerful, and go to the very heart of shamanic tradition. This example is particularly extraordinary. At the very end a seal holds on precariously, while a little further up his next manifestation has grown two arms and a hybrid head. Then, suddenly, in the middle he emerges in human form. This human form then turns 90 degrees and lying on his back bends over the end, where, amazingly, he becomes the head of a polar bear. The hole underneath was for a leather strap.

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pol a r bea r Alaska, 17th–18th century Size: 10.5 cm long For millennia the polar bear has been important in the material and spiritual cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. A legend among the Eskimos of Alaska tells how the bears are humans in their own homes and put on bear hides when going outside. It is supposed that Eskimos learned their skills in seal-hunting and igloo-building by observing polar bears. They were respected as spiritually powerful, and ‘thanksgiving’ rituals were performed for the bear after he was killed in a hunt. The kill was achieved with dogs to distract the bear, allowing the hunters to get close with their harpoons, bows and arrows.

Every part of the bear had a use: fur for trousers, meat for food, fat both in food and in lamps, sinews for sewing. The heart and gall-bladder were dried and powdered for medicine, while the liver was carefully buried since it was poisonous enough to kill a dog. The teeth were prized as talismans. In Siberia the prominent canines were accorded the greatest value, and occasionally traded with the forest-dwellers further south, who believed that with one attached to their hats they were safe from attack by a brown bear.

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bow-dr i l l Alaska, 17thâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;18th century Size: 42 cm long This remarkable bow-drill depicts in lively detail on its four facets the summer festival activities of an Eskimo community. The brief period each year when bitter cold did not define their way of life inspired wild dancing, ball-games, wrestling, games with children, and life in tents. Fish are hung out to dry on trellises, kayaks overhauled, seals are dragged back along the ground and a huge walrus on a sleigh helped by dogs. Boats are

out fishing and unloading the catch; some come back carrying sea-urchins; others are hunting walruses and whales with harpoons. There are 165 human figures in all, and while some activities, probably equipment maintenance, are difficult to decipher, it is a masterpiece of graphic wizardry. Provenance: Beasley Collection

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2 6 0 t w e lv e s t o n e s The Monte Region of Argentina Size: 7 to 10 cm These mysterious stones come from the collection of Ricardo and Belen Paz, friends of long standing, from whom I had other marvellous things for the exhibition in 2015. The story of their efforts to revive and preserve a large tract of land in the Monte, the great subtropical dry forests in the Argentine province of Santiago del Estero, is inspiring. Their understanding of the indigenous cultures of Argentina, from Patagonia to the Atacama, is profound, and I can’t do better than paraphrase what they have written about these stones: ‘The first thing that visitors to the

Monte notice is that it is a landscape without stones. The men make everything from wood, while the women weave. So these stones are brought from distant hills and mountains, vestiges of an era long past, and kept in chests, not for use but to be treasured for their feel, for the feelings they provoke. Their identity is no longer connected to their original function, which sometimes can be guessed, and instead they have been transformed into objects of power, with no other history attached. They fill the hand and challenge us to feel, and if possible not imagine.’

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2 6 1 a n e n g r av e d i c a a n d e s i t e p e b b l e Peru, age of engraving disputed Size: 19 × 15 cm There have been many magical objects that have passed through the market over the years: Dr Dee’s Bracelet, Count Cagliostro’s Astrological Shoe Buckles, Tipu Sultan’s Talismanic Ring. And there are many others that are unlikely to come on the market: Dr Dee’s Scrying Mirror in the British Museum; Trithemius of Sponheim’s Library, wherever that is; even the remains of Pedro de Luna’s skull smashed up at Peniscola by Napoleon’s troops rampaging through Spain. They are all reminders of interesting parts of our history, the concept of which is already burning on the altar that is a Kardashian backside. I’m not sure that an Ica Stone quite fits into the magical category, but considering the scale of the controversy involved, it has an interesting story to tell. And since one has come my way, apparently the first on the market for 30 years or more, here it is, in brief. In 1976, Robert Charroux published a book, L’énigme des Andes, in which he recounts his encounter with Dr Javier Cabrera Darquea, a surgeon and professor at the University of Ica, one of the scientific elite of Peru. This erudite man had a huge collection of andesite pebbles, found in a cave near Ica, engraved with scenes of apparently unbelievable antiquity,

showing combats between humans and dinosaurs, humans performing sophisticated surgery and observing the stars with telescopes, etc. Sophisticated stuff, happening millions of years ago. This stone comes with a video made by a reputed geologist from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, guaranteeing its authenticity. The argument still continues, and has generated a vast amount of opinion on the internet, of which it is only necessary to read two or three – they are extremely repetitive. Dr Cabrera’s museum is listed as an official tourist site by the Peruvian Chamber of Tourism and continues to attract many visitors. The most interesting aspect of these stones is what they reveal about human behaviour. In other words, while science and religion often seem at odds with each other, in fact their adherents behave in exactly the same way. A believer of one or the other can rarely be persuaded out of his belief, partly because so much is invested. A scientist or intellectual can rarely perceive anything beyond the confines of their intellect. Mystics can, and sometimes artists, because they can use a piece of equipment that is normally strangled by the conditioned intellect. This pebble is a useful reminder of how useless belief can be.

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2 6 2 s o p h i e g r a n d va l The Twenty-Eight Phases of the Moon (December, 2015) Size: 60 × 30 cm Oil on canvas In 2012, at the first Every Object Tells a Story exhibition at Jean-Claude Ciancimino’s gallery, I showed a watercolour by Sophie, painted at least 40 years ago, a wonderfully delicate composition with a floral Hermetic figure. I am reprinting my introduction to her then, since it came partly from a conversation we had the last time I saw her: ‘I first met Sophie Grandval in Paris in the mid-1960s, when I was a student and she was already a legend. Her first exhibition had caused a sensation, and every painting sold on the opening night. They have a powerful, naïve magic about them that seems to enchant all who look at them. She worked mainly in oils, but when Mrs Mellon commissioned her to paint all the vegetables and plants in the King’s Vegetable Garden at Versailles in the early 1970s, she turned to watercolour. In 1973 she moved to Bath, mainly to be near John Michell, whom she considered the only person who saw the world as she did. Her rooms there were extraordinarily atmospheric, festooned with dried flowers,

strange gee-gaws, illustrations from magazines and books, and perfumed with the pungent aroma of hashish. On one visit she informed me that the previous evening she had been drinking in a pub when she realized that the Devil was sitting on the bar-stool next to her. This news was so surprising that I missed the opportunity to ask her what he was drinking.’ Now she lives in Burgundy, and on my last visit there she told me this: ‘I’ve got used to living alone in this remote part of France. Sometimes it’s hard, but I like my solitude. I know what goes on in the world because I listen to the radio a lot while I paint. Instead of looking outwards I now look within, and find the same beauty there. I feed all the birds in the forest around my studio where I live since the house burned down, and only let the cats out at night when the birds are asleep. There are six jays who leave beautiful feathers to thank me for the food. I provide nuts for the squirrels who come to the door, and apples for the horses in the field next-door.’

Sophie in her studio

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263 sta rga z er Mezcala, West Coast of Mexico, 700 bc–ad 300 Size: 17.8 cm high Hard stone He gazes into other worlds, the stars are just his guides, and what he sees we cannot know – we can only look with fascination at the enigma he presents. I first saw him illustrated in a Financial Times feature on upcoming exhibitions and, already amazed by a small photograph, I was delighted when I could acquire him. He came to me from Throckmorton Fine Arts in New York, one of the rare galleries that consistently puts on exhibitions that are diverse and interesting. When I held the object my delight increased tenfold. What photographs did not show was the stone itself: a whorl of green and black on the back, becoming less dynamic at the front, with the head totally black, and equally inscrutable. In the exhibition of 2012 with Jean-Claude Ciancimino, I had another Stargazer, from Yugoslavia, as it once was, and dating from the 5th–6th century. Such Stargazers were placed on the graves of the great

Barbarian chieftains, oriented towards the Pole Star. No such information exists about his Guerrero relation. According to Spencer Throckmorton: ‘These enigmatic pre-Columbian objects were first uncovered in the late nineteenth century. However, it was the fascination with pre-Columbian artefacts in Mexico’s post-revolutionary era – stoked by such artists as Diego Rivera, Miguel Covarrubias, and William Spratling – when the many highly-stylized, stone carvings came pouring out of the poor provincial state of Guerrero.’ Provenance: Mid-Western Collection, USA Throckmorton Fine Art, New York An Examination Report by Frank Preusser & Associates, undertaken in 2015, is available.

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264 t h e m ask of a sh a m a n Mezcala, West Coast of Mexico, 700 bc–ad 300 Size: 19 cm high Serpentine If you care to look into the dark complexity of Central America, look at this Mask. It expresses the combination of beauty and cruelty of the Guerrero culture. While its message might appear very different from benign Christianity, the Grand Inquisitor must have looked similar to those he was redirecting back to Jesus. But here there is no false pretence to piety, and the look of this Mask is not something encountered in European art, where even devils appear benign by comparison. Instead of the sentimentality that so often accompanies depictions of

‘spirituality’ in the West, here is the undisguised expression of the forbidding power of the shamanic tradition. The filaments criss-crossing his dark skin even suggest a power surge through his inner circuitry. Provenance: Throckmorton Fine Art, New York An Examination Report by Frank Preusser & Associates, undertaken in 2015, is available.

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265 a n i ron met eor i t e from ca mpo del ci el o Size: 49 × 31 cm Weight: 70 kg approximately Meteorite type: Iron Structural Classification: Coarse Octahedrite Group I. 6.68% Ni; 0.43% Co; 0.25% P; 87 ppm Ga; 407 ppm Ge; 3.6 ppm Ir. Location: Gran Chaco Gualamba, Argentina 27 degrees 39 minutes south, 61 degrees 44 minutes west; 150 m Discovered: 1576 The Campo del Cielo is classified as an IAB coarse octahedrite. It exhibits many beautiful characteristics, unique to meteorites, including regmaglypts, thumbprint-like surface features caused by a meteorite melting during its fiery journey through Earth’s atmosphere. The pure iron asteroid hailed from the Main Asteroid Belt located between Mars and Jupiter, and split up over an area of 60 square kilometers when it crashed to Earth 4,000–5,000 years ago. It is the heaviest meteorite so far recovered on the planet, at over 100 tons, and the largest fragment of 37 tons, known as ‘El Chaco’, is second in size only to the Hoba meteorite in Namibia. A fragment weighing 1,398 lbs was donated to London’s Natural History Museum. In 1576, the Spanish governor of a province in northern Argentina sent a military detachment to search for a large mass of iron, having heard that the local natives were using it for

weapons, and claimed that it had fallen from the sky. The governor reported the discovery of a large mass of iron protruding from the earth, of unusual purity and assumed to be the tip of a seam, to the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, but the find was soon forgotten. In 1774, Don Bartolome Francisco de Maguna rediscovered the iron mass, having become fascinated by legends of the local inhabitants, and called it ‘the Table of Iron’. In 1783, Rubin de Celis cleared the ground with explosives and found that it was a single mass, not the seam of a mine. He sent samples to the Royal Society in London, who declared it a meteorite, something Celis had failed to realize. In 1990, a local Argentinian highway police officer foiled a plot by Robert Haag to steal El Chaco. It had already been moved out of the country, but was returned to Campo del Cielo, and is now protected by a provincial law.

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2 6 6 a n o u t s t a n d i n g pa i r o f pa l l a s i t e m et eor i t e slices Imilac, Chile Size: 160 × 110 mm Weight: 196 g and 214 g It says a lot for the sensibility of the French that the editors of La Gazette Drouot chose to illustrate this stunning meteorite on its cover in November 2015. The Gazette is always packed full of treasures, mostly of much greater monetary value, and yet they resonated to the mysterious fascination of this emissary from Outer Space, dressed to impress. It was sold as part of Pierre Delpuech’s remarkable collection of meteorites. It comes from Imilac, on the high Andean plateau of Chajnantas, above Chile’s Atacama Desert, where the Alma Observatory peers into the deepest recesses of the Universe. The meteoric debris was scattered over 8 kilometers, about a ton in all, shattered by its burning path through Earth’s atmosphere. The site was discovered in 1822, and the remarkable

feature of this meteorite is the transparent olivines embedded in its iron matrix. Less than 1 per cent of known meteorites are of this type, and only four showers have been observed: Mineo, Sicily, May 1823; Zaisho, Japan, February 1898; Marjalahti, Finland, June 1902; and Ormolon, Russia, May 1981. In 1794, Peter Simon Pallas, a German zoologist and naturalist working for the Russian court, brought back a 680 kg meteorite discovered near Krasnoiarsk in Siberia. On his return to Germany, he gave a sample to the physicist Ernst Chladni, who named the hitherto unknown type of meteorite ‘pallasite’. Provenance: Pierre Delpuech, France

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2 6 7 a p o ly h e d r o n o f sey mch a n met eor i t e Russia, found 1967 Size: 11 cm Weight: 5,800 g Seymchan is a pallasite meteorite found in the dry bed of the river Hekandue in the Magadan district of Russia. The main body of 272.3 kg was found in June 1967 by the geologist F.A. Mednikov, with another 51 kg specimen located nearby in October of the same year by I.H. Markov. The main mass was given to the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Another 50 kg was found in a later expedition of 2004, which revealed the inclusion of olivine crystals, confirming that the meteorite was pallasitic. Provenance: Pierre Delpuech, France

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2 6 8 a ‘p i r a t e ’s r i n g ’ Cabuchon lodestone mounted in silver and steel Bezel size: 3.2 × 2.3 cm Lodestone is one of only two minerals that is found naturally magnetized; the other, pyrrhotite, is only weakly magnetic. The property of magnetism was first discovered in Antiquity through lodestones, and pieces suspended so that they could turn were the first magnetic compasses. This discovery was of immense importance for early navigation, although for a couple

of millennia at least, notably among the Olmecs and Han Chinese, lodestones were used exclusively for geomancy. In Middle English ‘lodestone’ meant ‘leading stone’, and ‘lode’ once meant ‘journey’. The process by which lodestone is created has long been an open question in geology, and only a small amount of magnetite on earth is found magnetized as lodestone.

269 a m a ssi v e pol ish ed bou l der of ba n ded jasper Gweru District, Zimbabwe Size: 41 × 26 × 23 cm

270 a gogo t t e ston e Fontainebleau, France, circa 30 million years old Size: 20 cm high Formed from grains of quartz cemented by infiltrations of water charged with carbonated calcium, these rare stones have been appreciated for their eccentric forms since the 18th century. Large samples were shown at Versailles, and provide an unexpected parallel to the appreciation of eccentric forms of Nature in China.

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27 1 a br a ss -h a n dl ed gr a n i t e c h ee se w eigh t Holland, 18th century Size: 40 cm high Weight: 75 kg approximately

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272 a m agn i fic en t c h i n e se s c h o l a r ’s r o c k Probably Linghi County, Anhui Province, Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) Size: 53 cm high Calcite with fitted rosewood base Chinese scholars liked to have rocks of varying sizes in their otherwise Spartan studios, which apparently gave them imaginative access to mountains, grottos and landscapes, inspiring them as they prepared their poems or paintings. Above all, these learned Chinese admired the rocks for ‘surfaces that suggest great age, forceful profiles that evoke the grandeur of nature, overlapping layers or planes that impart depth, and hollows or perforations that create rhythmic, harmonious

patterns.’ ‘Wrinkling’ was one of the four desirable qualities of rocks defined during the Tang Dynasty; a shiny surface added to its allure, as did a resonant ringing sound when struck. Eroded and polished by water, this rock possesses all of these qualities, while each of its sides provides a lively playing-field for the imagination. Provenance: Jean-Claude Ciancimino Collection, London

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273 sk u l l pom a n der English, dated 1628 Size: Apple 6 cm diameter, 8 cm high with stalk; Skull 4.5 cm high Silver, colours, leather box The story of this extraordinary object unfolds below, in the words of Mrs How, one of the pre-eminent silver dealers of the 20th century, recorded by her husband Commander How. The woodcut of the Pomander while still in the collection of Lord Londesborough shows not only the erased crown and initials ‘J.R.’, but also the date of 1623, later changed to 1628. Mrs How believed that the initials and crown indicated royal ownership by James II, not that it was made in memoriam for James I. While it is difficult to unscramble all the threads of its history, it remains a unique and important example of 17th-century silver. James I died in 1625; James II reigned 1685–88. Mrs How: ‘People constantly bring things to me to ask what they are, and I find that by far the most frequent answer is “I don’t know”; almost invariably echoed when they ask “To whom can I take it who will know?” ‘Erroneous ascription by an accepted authority can be a most dangerous thing, and about the time I owned the little spouted porringer, I had a bitter experience in this matter. I had just bought a wonderful Skull Pomander with its Apple container. Above the inscription on the Apple were lightly engraved a royal crown and the initials “J.R.”. Being somewhat out of my depth with this object I submitted it to the head of the Metalwork Department of one of our greatest museums, and he assured me that though the Skull and Apple container were genuine, and the inscription original, the lightly engraved crown and initials had obviously been put on by somebody at a much later date to give it a spurious association with James I. As the engraving was light he advised me to have it removed. This I did. A few months later he rang me up on the telephone to say he had made an interesting discovery; he had found an early reference to this particular object and a drawing of it showing the crown and “J.R.”, which, in the circumstances, was conclusive evidence that they were of early date. (The crown and initials “J.R.” probably indicated royal ownership by James II, rather than association or in memoriam for James I who died in 1625). Alack! Alas! They cannot go back. This wonderful relic passed into private ownership. It has recently come back to me minus one leaf. I would like to find it a permanent resting-place, where it will be at last safe, from vandalism such as that I regret I perpetrated myself due to false assumption on the part of an

authority; or vandalism such as that private owner, who was not fit to have even temporary charge of objects of national interest and importance.’ Bernal sale entry: ‘An apple, of silver, opening and containing a skull, of silver, crowned with a wreath, and containing a miniature inscribed on the outside, “From man came woman, from woman came sin, from sin came death – 1628.”’ E.F. King: ‘These kinds of devices continued in fashion till a much later period; and a very curious example, from the collection of Lord Londesborough, which appears to have belonged to king James I, is represented in the accompanying woodcut. The whole is of silver, and the leaves appear to have been painted green. On opening it we find in the inside the small skull here represented above the apple. The top of this skull opens again like a lid, and inside are two small paintings representing the creation and resurrection, with the inscription, “Post mortem, vita, eternitas”. The external inscription is not over gallant. To give the apple, externally, a more natural appearance, there are marks of two bites on the side opposite that here represented, shewing a large and small set of teeth.’ The black leather-covered box is typical of Bernal Collection boxes. Provenance: King James II Bernal Collection. Sold 23rd April 1855, lot 3506 Lord Londesborough Collection Mrs How Private collection, UK Published: Thomas Wright, Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Remains in the possession of Lord Londesborough, London, 1859; drawing by Frederick Fairholt E.F. King, Ten Thousand Wonderful Things, London, 1860 Detroit Free Press, January 1880 Inscription: ‘From man came woman, from woman came sin, from sin came death – 1628.’

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2 74 a vo o d o o p r i e s t ’s s i lv e r c a n e t o p Haiti, 19th century Size: 9 cm high Old label: Polished pewter cane top from Voodoo priest staff. Haiti, 19th c. This powerful Voodoo symbol is cast from sold silver, not pewter as stated on the label. The haft is deeply incised with two fleur-delys, and at the back grips the skull with a bony hand. The Tate provides no information on its website about the skull-topped cane held by Robert Mapplethorpe in his 1988 Self Portrait, of which they have a copy. The composition, in which the skull and hand around the cane are in sharp focus, while Mapplethorpe’s face remains slightly out of focus, is generally interpreted as a knowing reference to the photographer’s impending death, which came the following year. His cane top and this one both come from the Voodoo tradition of Haiti, and are clearly closely related. We tend to regard Voodoo and other such things as primitive superstitions at worst, or objects of suspicious curiosity at best. But before allowing the mind to close totally, it is worth reading this article that appeared in The Independent on 29th October 1998: ‘Football fans in the central African state of Congo were hurling accusations of witchcraft at each other yesterday after a freak blast of lightning struck dead an entire team on the playing field while their opponents were left completely untouched. The bizarre blow by the weather to all 11 members of the football team was reported in the daily newspaper L’Avenir in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo. ‘Lightning killed at a stroke 11 young people aged between 20 and 35 years during a football match, the newspaper reported. It went on to say that 30 other people had received burns at the weekend match, held in the eastern province of Kasai. “The athletes from Basanga [the home team] curiously came out of this catastrophe unscathed.” The suspicion that the black arts might be involved arose firstly because the opposing team emerged unharmed and then again because the score at the time was a delicately balanced one-all. The exact nature of the lightning has divided the population in this region which is known for its use of fetishes in football, the newspaper commented. Much of the detail about the match remains obscure as the Congo – officially known as the Democratic Republic of Congo – remains stricken by civil war between the government of Laurent Kabila and rebel forces, backed by neighbouring Rwanda, in the east of the country. ‘Witchcraft is often blamed for adverse natural phenomena throughout western and central Africa. It is relatively frequent for football teams to hire witchdoctors to place hexes on their opponents. In a similar, though less deadly incident in South Africa over the weekend, six players from a local team were hurt when lightning struck the playing field during a thunderstorm.’ Reading such an account, one would normally assume that, if true, the disaster as described must indeed be the result of some freak natural occurrence. The idea that such an event could be caused by witchcraft appears ludicrous, and anyone who seriously believes in such an idea would seem ‘primitive’ from our point of view. That is unless you give credence to the fetish religions which exist in Africa, much diminished in recent times, but nevertheless still in evidence today, particularly in West Africa. A remarkable description of fetish religion can be found in a book called Africa Dances, by Geoffrey Gorer, first published in 1935, from which the following extract is taken. Perhaps one should not reject the notion of witchcraft out of hand...

‘Benga and I were made, as it were, honorary members of the Agassou (panther) fetish, on the ground that I was certainly and he probably harbouring the spirit of a dead fetisher. But before our initiation we were made to swear that we would neither write nor speak about anything we see or experience, and we had to leave cameras, pencils and notebooks behind. For the greater part I was going rather regretfully to keep my word – regretfully, for a number of very curious things occurred. I realize that this sounds rather like Herodotus with the Egyptian Mysteries, and I think we may both be in the same position; after all, we are both of us pretty good liars, and could make up perfectly satisfying marvels if we wanted to. Concerning three incidents, however, I am going to break my vow; they are none of them fundamental but all to my mind interesting. ‘The first occurred before we were admitted into the convent. A sacrifice was being made at which we could not be present, and we both stood outside the courtyard on the grass in the moonlight holding a piece of dried grass in our left hands (this grass played a considerable role later), probably looking ridiculous and feeling very silly and rather alarmed. Our sponsor and interpreter was with the priest. After a time he came out and said to me, “You live in a white house on a hill surrounded by trees; you have a mother and two brothers who are walking under the trees” (a quite adequate description of my home and family; and it was very probable that on 25 June they would have been walking in the garden in the evening). Then he turned to Benga and said, “You have no home. In the place you think of as home there are many people. Your two sisters are well, but your dead mother’s husband was taken very ill two days ago; he will recover, however, before you see him again.’ This was exact in every particular; on 23 June Benga’s stepfather had had a severe attack, as we verified on our return to Dakar, and he was quite convalescent before we returned. We were more than a thousand miles from Dakar at the time, and had received no communications from there for the better part of a month. ‘After a night spent in the convent we were considered to be fetishers. Fairly early in the morning we went with the priest and the other fetishers into the open country, among maize fields. A chicken was killed – the number of animals which were killed that night, and I presume every night in Dahomey, is astounding – and the priest started to sing in a low voice. The rest of us stood about, smoking or chewing cola. After about half an hour a full-grown panther walked out of the maize and started moving among the people; it was quickly followed by another, and in a short time there were fifteen panthers among us. They arrived from every direction. We had been told most earnestly on no account to touch them, and not to be afraid of them, for they would only harm wicked men (i.e. sorcerers). I was scared so that I felt my legs shaking, but I was able to keep quiet. When the fetisher stopped singing they went away again. The first animal had eaten the chicken. This was the only time in Africa that I saw any of the fiercer mammals alive and in freedom. There were a number of villages within an hour’s walk. It was about fifteen miles from Abomey.’ The excerpt from Edward Gorer’s Africa Dances is by kind permission of Barnaby Rogerson, whose entire Eland Press list of publications should be the companion of choice for anyone on a desert island.

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Robert Mapplethorpe, Self Portrait, ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d’Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008.

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2 7 5 a n i vo r y m e m e n t o m o r i France, 16th–17th century Size: 5 cm high There is another version in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, but it represents a monk who seems a whole lot less anguished by his condition, sure of a place reserved among the Heavenly Host. In this example the skin-and-flesh right side is the spookiest, because he is clearly aware of what is happening on

the left side, and therefore what awaits him. In the meantime there are weird creepy-crawlies on his skull and at his lip, which suggest it won’t be long. His hair has a rakish look, which implies he has not been assiduous in attending Confession, hence the despair evident in the right eye.

2 7 6 a n i vo r y p y r a m i d p i e r c e d by a t h r ee-poi n t sta r France, 18th century Size: 3.3 cm

27 7 a st eel sph er e pi erc ed b y a s i x-p o i n t s t a r France, circa 1800 Size: 7 cm high

27 8 a n i ron eigh t -poi n t sta r France, 18th century Size: 4.5 cm high

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279 a gi a n t m a rv er ed gl a ss t r a de be a d Probably Venice, 16th–17th century Size: 13 cm Weight: 2.4 kg This unusual bead was found on one of Indonesia’s outer islands, where it must have been a symbol of wealth and status. Of similar purpose to the gold pectorals the size of dinner-plates owned by aristocratic families on the Moluccan islands. Already in the 15th century the Portuguese were using glass beads as currency for the slave trade down the coast of West Africa, and so they were also known as ‘slave beads’. The Victoria and Albert Museum has a large collection that came from Moses Lewin Levin, a London bead merchant whose import-export business operated from 1839 to 1913. But there is nothing of this size among them. Great skill was required to manufacture a solid glass bead of this weight, to manage the cooling process so that it didn’t shatter. The three main glass-producing centres were Venice, Bohemia and the Netherlands, with Venice its most probable

source. Glass-making became established there after the Fourth Crusade in 1204, when Byzantine craftsmen fled Constantinople and settled in Venice, bringing the secrets of their crafts with them. To protect the city from their furnaces, as the number of glass-makers increased, they were moved to the island of Murano. The value of the glass trade became so great that assassins were sent after its craftsmen who left the Republic, to prevent rival glass-making elsewhere. After Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, trade beads spread to Asia and America, and while it may appear strange that slaves, gold, textiles and spices could be exchanged for such meaningless baubles, they are really no different from the $100 bill. A woman in a foreign hotel; a Cartier watch; a shatoosh; or a meal in a fashionable dive. At least the beads are colourful.

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2 8 0 joh n m a rt i n Satan in Council Mezzotint and engraving, 1824 Size: 480 × 701 mm One of approximately ten known impressions on wove paper (Cambell-Wees 87) Beneath the image: Designed by John Martin/Engraved by John Martin high on a t hrone of royal state, which far outshone the wealth of ormus and of ind’ or where the gorgeous east with richest hand show’rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold satan exalted sat, by merit r aised to that bad eminence; and from despair thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue vain war with heaven; and by success untaught his proud imaginations thus display’d. (John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book II)

At the start of Book II, Satan sits on his throne like a Middle Eastern potentate and addresses the assembled devils as to the course of action they should follow. Four of the devils speak – Moloch, Belial, Mammon and Beelzebub – with Beelzebub being Satan’s mouthpiece. Each speaker offers a different attitude concerning a solution for their Hellish predicament: Moloch proposes open warfare on Heaven; Belial proposes that they do nothing; Mammon argues that Hell may not be so bad, that it can be livable, even comfortable, if all the devils will work to improve it; and Beelzebub, Satan’s mouthpiece, argues that the only way to secure revenge on Heaven is to corrupt God’s newest creation: Man. It is interesting to compare this majestic image of Satan with the following set of Felicien Rops’ Les Sataniques. Sixty-five years separate them, and yet the concept they each present is so radically different. Only thirty-two years separate Robert Johnson’s recording of ‘Me and the Devil Blues’, and ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ by the Rolling Stones, but there is almost an equivalent shift in presentation (time accelerates, as we know). Clearly, Satan has many shapes, the most interesting of which

appears in Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita. In an Oriental tale the Devil presents himself to a man who says: ‘You can’t be the Devil! You’re so elegantly dressed, so suave, so interesting to talk to, with such understanding of the world.’ ‘Aah, said the Devil, I can see you’ve been listening to my detractors.’ John Martin’s mezzotints of Paradise Lost are justifiably famous as monuments to the visionary strain of Romantic art. He was commissioned by the publisher Septimus Prowett to produce twenty-four images in two sizes, for an octavo set and for a larger deluxe set. The genius of Martin’s composition, and his uncanny mastery of light, dark, mist and shadow, in a medium as exacting as mezzotint, are as difficult to fathom now as they were in the 19th century. In April 1825 Martin exhibited twenty of his mezzotints at the Royal Society of British Artists, to great popular acclaim. A contemporary critic wrote: ‘We know of no artist whose genius so perfectly fitted him to be the illustrator of the mighty Milton … and he has more than realized the highest of our hopes. There is a wildness, a grandeur and a mystery about his designs which are indescribably fine.’

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281 felici en rops Les Sataniques The complete series of Felicien Rops’ extraordinary Les Sataniques. Vernis mou on Japan paper, each signed or initialled by the artist in red crayon. Paris, circa 1889 Size: Folio ‘Rops’ Les Sataniques is a work of extremes, even for a printmaker known for his provocations. While the first print of the series, Satan semant l’ivraie, is a fantastic depiction of an enormous diabolical figure trampling Paris and Notre Dame de Paris underfoot (or, more accurately under clog) while strewing female figures (presumably witches) to left and right, it hardly prepares the viewer for the remaining four plates. These present a far more intimate, grotesque and disturbing mise-en-scène, each featuring a female figure enslaving herself willingly and with abandon to the clutches of the devil. The images are highly explicit and of extreme power, and Rops’ written explanations are almost superfluous: the images speak for themselves and remain shocking even to a jaded modern audience. It is worthy of note that Ramiro in his catalogue raisonné situates Les Sataniques in the section Pièces Diverses attribuées à Félicien Rops, rather than in the catalogue itself; Ramiro mentions neither edition nor date suggesting that even at that date little was known of the series.’ I didn’t write the above paragraph, it came with the engravings. When first shown images, not the engravings themselves, I was doubtful about taking them on in the context of this catalogue. They are so disturbing and powerful that I worried they might constitute an uncomfortable bulge among the pages devoted to less explicit blasphemies. When I saw the engravings themselves I was amazed, because the subtlety, delicacy and skill of Rops removes the shock of the apparent subject-matter. It was a total surprise. Each engraving was pulled by the artist himself, and then manipulated in different ways, so that none of the series is identical. The complexity involved in rendering such an extreme vision as a work of art regardless of its content is a great achievement, which has bewitched many who have had the courage to look at them. To register their full delirium requires quiet contemplation. Rops made the frontispiece for Les épaves, Baudelaire’s poems censored from Les Fleurs du Mal, and was also close to Mallarmé and everybody else who was influential in the art world of the time. If he had been alive in the 1960s, he would surely have designed the most arresting album covers. Like most great artists, he was ahead of his time. His influence has been widespread: Alphonse Mucha, Aubrey Beardsley, Austin Spare, Mati Clarwein, for example. The plates – with Rops’ own explanation of each taken from an annotated set – are as follows: i. ‘Satan semant l’ivraie’: ‘Terrible et gigantesque, vêtu comme un paysan, Satan, le semeur biblique, passe à grandes enjambées par-dessus les contrées habitées par les hommes. En ce moment, sous un clair de lune blafard, il traverse Paris. Son pied droit, se pose sur les tours de Notre Dame. D’un geste puissant, il jette, à travers les éspaces, les Femmes qui remplissent son tablier flottant, graine funeste des crimes et des désespoirs humains. Et, sous les larges bords de son chapeau breton, son regard étincelle d’une joie malfaisante.’ (This explanation taken from Ramiro). ii. ‘L’Enlèvement’: ‘Les Sataniques / No. 2 L’Enlèvement / Dans les nuages d’une nuit voilée & sinistre SATAN emporte sur ses épaules / la FEMME pour en faire son ésclave, sa victime, sa complice. /

Etrangement empalée par le manche du balai magique que serre en ses griffes le / noir ravisseur, elle pend sur dos anéantie pamée, déjà toute entière / au MAITRE.’ iii. ‘L’Idole’: ‘Les Sataniques – No. 3 L’Idole / Initiée aux Rouges Mystères la FEMME est entrée dans le péristyle du Premier / Temple, ou se dresser la nue & troublante statue du MAITRE. Dans un grand élan / de passion la “Possédée” se jette a corps perdu sur l’idole Impossible, & se livre affolée/ & subjuguée. C’en est fait: la Femme appartient à SATAN. / Deux lampadaires phalliques soutenus par des monstres enfantins et rudimentaires éclairent / lugubreusement la scène. / Au bas, un être fantastique issu des Zoocréations Infernales, garde le sanctuaire, & de sa trompe féconde lui-même formidablement.’ iv. ‘Le Sacrifice’: ‘Les Sataniques / – / No. 4 Le Sacrifice / SATAN tient sa victime. Ce n’est plus son image, mais LUI qui en prend / possession. Il la tient écrasée sur la pierre du sacrifice. Sa monstrueuse / virilité animée de toutes les violences et de toutes les hubricités écartele les / flancs de la FEMME & semble boire le sang qui en jaillit et rougit les marches / de l’autel. / Le MAITRE pour célébrer ces noces cruelles a revêtu sa grande forme mythique: un / massacre de bouc lui sort de cuirasses, et sa tête obscure est couronnée du / croissant symbolique, blanc nimbé de rouge des tarots égyptiens.’ v. ‘Le Calvaire’: ‘Les Sataniques / – / Le Calvaire / Les Douloureuses épreuves par lesquelles le Démon fait passer ses victimes, / continuent. SATAN attaché à la Croix travestit diaboliquement la scène / suprême de la Passion. – A ses pieds sous le voile noir herminé de larmes / blanches, dont elle écarte les plis de ses bras étendus, la FEMME rest hypnotisée, / la tête couronnée par le sexe exultant du maître. Le Crucifiée sacrilège tient / dans les griffes de ses pieds les cheveux enroulés de sa victime, et l’étrangle / doucement. / Elle meurt dans un spasme de douloureuse volupté. / Autour brûlent les cierges funèbres.’ Les désignation des procédés de gravure – eau-forte, pointe sèche, vernis mou, aquatinte – est donnée par l’artiste lui-même; elle n’est pas toujours exacte, particulièrement en ce qui concerne les vernis mous, dont un certain nombre sont des héliogravures retouchées. Mais l’artiste, tirant ses épreuves lui-même, parvenait, par des enrages savants, à leur faire rendre beaucoup plus qu’elles auraient donné par un simple tirage mécanique; elles étaient, en outre, souvent rehaussées après le tirage par des retouches de crayon ou des lumières enlevées à la gomme. Ainsi travaillées, ce ne sont plus de banalles héliogravures, mais des oueuvres originales d’un haut intérêt artistique, et comme le vocabulaire technique de la taille-douce ne possède aucun terme pour désigner ces procédés bien personnels à l’artiste, nous leur avons laissé, comme l’avait d’ailleurs fait avant nous Erastène Ramiro, les dénominations données par le maître lui-même. (Maurice Exsteens). [Exsteens 783–787; Ramiro 223–227; see Ramiro, pp. 174–176, ‘Appendice – Pièces Diverses attribuées à Félicien Rops’]. ‘Plus la femme a d’importance dans une civilization, plus la decadence est grande.’ (Felicien Rops)

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282 a con t r a bass ba l a l a ik a North America, early 20th century Size: 1m 77cm high Interest in the balalaika in America developed as a result of the virtuoso performances by Vasily Vasilievich Andreyev, when he gave a series of concerts there in the early 20th century. This unusual example was most probably made by or for Russian immigrants living on the East Coast, where it was recently rediscovered. A decade ago I was part of a group assembled to advise Mikhail Piotrovsky about rearranging the seventeen rooms devoted to Islamic art in the Hermitage, and to raise the money necessary to transform them. Each time we were in St Petersburg, Piotrovsky would arrange a treat for us, and during one visit it was a concert in

Catherine the Greatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theatre in the Hermitage. Three giants stumbled onto the stage, bushy-bearded, booted, in long coats and tall hats, apparently drunk, and swaying as they tried to gain control of their improbably large instruments. They were superb musicians and consummate actors, and gave one of the most enjoyable performances I have ever witnessed. They were like three wild tzigane versions of Tiny Tim (who also was huge). One of their outsized instruments resembled this one, which I spotted at Masterpiece in 2015. When I collected it, I found it had been awarded First Prize for a folk object in the Fair. It comes with the certificate.

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283 – 320 from

j e a n - c l a u d e c i a n c i m i n o ’s a l c h e m i c a l t o y- c u p b o a r d

2 83 a n i nsc r i bed c u rv ed i vo r y h u Inscription: ‘The disciple of xxx [place, erased] xxx mao [name, erased] signed respectfully. To offer a Hu in front of the shrine of Three Deities [Sanguandadi, who are in charge of Sky, Earth and Water]. Offered [Hu] on an auspicious day of the 5th month in the Bingyin year of the Jiaqing reign [corresponding to ad 1806, the 11th year of the Jiaqing].’ From the Tang Dynasty until the end of the Ming Dynasty court officials carried these tablets, called Hu, when in the presence of the Emperor. It was held in front of the courtier’s

face as he bowed deeply. Since it was inappropriate to take such tablets home because of the access they gave to restricted areas of the court they were handed out and collected by the court doorkeepers. By the time of the Qing Dynasty they were collected as antiquarian curiosities. It may well be that the Hu itself is earlier than its inscription, recording its presentation to a temple deity. I am grateful to the learned Yuan Sheng at Eskenazi Ltd for deciphering the inscription.

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2 8 4 a–i t e n s h a l i g r a m s t o n e s Gandaki River, Nepal, ancient One of Jean-Claude’s abiding passions was for mysterious stones. He would bring out of his pocket a frosted rock crystal pebble and make you gaze into it through a small polished window. And there you would see the Universe, with particular clarity after a joint. I have no idea what he knew of these stones, but he kept them for a long time and so valued them greatly. They are usually said to be aniconic representations of Vishnu, but I have been assured by someone who knows about these things that their point is that they represent the ‘Divine Pussy’. It seems obvious once you look at them, and would explain why Jean-Claude never sold them.

a. A grey-brown hardstone compressed sphere, river-polished, pierced by a small double-punched hole to one side. Size: 13.5 cm diameter b. A black hardstone near-spherical pebble, river-polished, with a gash along one side. Size: 7.5 cm diameter c. A black hardstone pebble with five nobbles, river-polished. Size: 9.5 cm long d. A black hardstone gourd-shaped pebble, river-polished. Size: 6.5 cm long e. A black hardstone pebble shaped like a lemon, river-polished. Size: 6.5 cm long f. A black hardstone nobbled pebble with a trilobite emerging

on one side, and a small antlered quadruped engraved above. River-polished. Size: 7.5 cm long g. A rough-surfaced black-brown pebble with a trilobite on its surface. Size: 5.5 cm long h. A flat black hardstone pebble, river-polished, drilled with two craters of different sizes on the upper side, the underside roughened and drilled with three small holes. Size: 14 cm long (The two small beads following may, or may not, be associated with it.) i. Two black hardstone beads, river-polished, the larger drilled with a single hole, the smaller with a carefully divided double piercing. Size: 3.5 and 2.8 cm diameter.

2 8 5 a h i g h ly p o l i s h e d b l a c k h a r d s t o n e cer emon i a l a x e h ea d Not illustrated Nepal, ancient. Size: 8.5 cm long

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2 8 6 a r o c k- c r y s t a l m o r t a r a n d sph er ica l gr i n der Tibet, 18th–19th century, or older Size of mortar: 9.5 × 7 cm

2 8 7 a r o c k- c r y s t a l d o m e d s r i ya n t r a Probably Benares, made for the Nepali Temple, 19th century Size: 8 cm high, base 6.5 cm square

2 8 8 a r o c k- c r y s t a l d o m e d s r i ya n t r a Probably Benares, made for the Nepali Temple, 19th century Size: 6 cm high, base 9 cm square

2 8 9 a f i n e r o c k- c r y s t a l s r i ya n t r a Nepal, 16th–17th century Size: 6.7 cm square

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2 9 0 a r o c k c r y s t a l s k u l l - c u p ( k a p a l a) Tibet, 17th century or earlier Size: 15 × 10 cm Exhibited and Published: Tantra, Hayward Gallery, London, The Arts Council of Great Britain, 1971

2 9 1 a n e a r t h e n wa r e s k u l l - c u p ( k a p a l a) Tibet, ancient Size: 20 cm Cups made from the human skull are a familiar part of the ritual paraphernalia of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet. Wrathful deities in sculptures and paintings are often shown drinking blood from them. This example is unusual because while it has the shape of a human skull it is made out of fired earthenware, and would seem to belong to the Bon tradition, the principal religion of Tibet before the establishment of Buddhism in the 7th century. Mixed with animism, shamanism and folk religions, Bon was subsequently interwoven with Buddhism, which now makes its history and practices hard to decipher. The crown of the skull is divided into six zones by zig-zag lines, engraved with strange glyphs and Bon symbols such as the swastika and revolving sun. The inside is engraved with what looks like the neurological

pathways of the brain, and a hole is pierced at the highest point of the skull, a sort of displaced trepan point. The strangest feature is the three knobs protruding from the frontal lobe, like a control panel for navigating unknown worlds. The Skull-Cup was acquired in 1970 by David Salmon, the most discerning of collectors, from Nik Douglas, an intrepid rover of Himalayan regions, and author of books on the ‘secrets’ of sex. He in turn had got it from a certain Joel Siskin, who had bought it from a Lama on the highest pass into upper Dolpo, at an altitude of 16,000 feet. Exhibited and Published: Every Object Tells a Story, Episode i, Ciancimino Gallery, London, 2012

2 9 2 a vo o d o o p r i e s t ’s c a n e Haiti, 19th century Size: 52 cm long Steel and brass Objects connected with magic and religion had a great fascination for Jean-Claude. He said he was drawn to them without ever needing to understand what they represented. All spiritual enterprises represented the same thing, in his eyes, and it was eventually only important to figure out the systems that could deliver what they promised. He was drawn to the sometimes

flamboyant, but more usually to the discreet objects representing different beliefs, and once he had one that touched him, he never let it go. Not that there were ever many people who understood what he had, but for those who did, his assemblage of esoterica was a delight. Particularly when he was there to talk about them.

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293 t h e cosmic egg Himalayan region, ancient Size: 13 cm long Brown stone

294 a n a m er ic a n i n di a n om ph a l os fli n t Mound Culture, Illinois, circa 1500–1200 bc Size: 12.5 cm diameter

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295 a n ousta n di ng ba n ded h a r d s t o n e p e b b l e o n a f i n e ly w r o u g h t c h i n e s e wo o d b a s e China, river-polished, probably collected in the Ming period, 16th–17th century Size: 14 cm wide

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296 a const ell at ed r ed por ph y ry gr i n di ng ston e a n d pest l e India, 19th century or earlier Size of stone: 28 × 17 cm Size of pestle: 28 cm long

2 9 7 a pa i r o f r e d p o r p h y r y c y l i n d e r s Gebel Dokhan, Egypt, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 9 cm high

298 t h r ee i n di a n por ph y ry pest l es Mandya district, Kamataka, 19th century or earlier a. Intense red porphyry, chipped Size: 28 cm long b. Brownish porphyry with a silver alloy sheath over the handle Size: 29 cm long c. Octagonal faceted intense red porphyry Size: 14 cm long Mines in the vicinity of Seringapatam were the principal source of porphyry in India. Hard-stone pestles such as these were produced for craftsmen, for such things as grinding minerals for pigments.

299 a r ed por ph y ry dodec agona l morta r a n d pest le

30 0 a por ph y ry rou n del Probably from Gebel Dokhan Mountain, Egypt, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 40 cm diameter This is a slice taken from a column, and was therefore probably mined and shaped in Roman times, for re-use in the floor or wall of a Byzantine monument.

301 a r ed por ph y ry ba lust er pli n t h Gebel Dokhan mountain, Egypt, 1st–2nd century ad Size: 7.5 cm high, 12 cm long

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3 0 2 a f l u t e d wo o d va s e a n d c o v e r England, 18th century Size: 21 cm high

3 0 3 t h r e e s e c t i o n e d wo o d c o n e s England, first half 19th century Size: 23.5 cm, 17 cm and 11 cm high

3 0 4 a r h i n o c e r o s h o r n c u p m o u n t e d i n i vo r y Germany, 17th–18th century Size: 25 cm high

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3 0 5 a c o l l e c t i o n o f t w e lv e t u r n e d a n d p i e r c e d i vo r y s p h e r e s a n d s i x a s s o c i a t e d b a s e s i n i vo r y a n d e b o n y Germany, 18th century Size: 10.5–3 cm diameter The interest in this group of turned ivories was revealed to me by Marcus Pilz from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat in Munich, who pointed out that they were all at a different stage of their manufacture, and so must have come from an ivory-turner’s workshop – the unfinished leftovers. As a result, they show how these complicated spheres-within-spheres were made. I wonder if Jean-Claude knew this, but suspect that he did; and that is perhaps why he kept them for such a long time and never sold them.

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306 a byza n t i n e const ell at ed a l a b a s t e r pa t e n Byzantine Empire, 10th–11th century Size: 33.5 cm diameter For a silver-gilt mounted alabaster paten in the Treasury of San Marco, see: David Buckton (ed.), The Treasury of Saint Marco, Venice, no. 25, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1984

307 a k not t ed ca l a bash Japan, 19th century Size: 28 cm high The species originated in South Africa, and then through trade sprouted throughout the world. In China they were used to carry medicines, to which they gave added potency. In Japan the calabashes themselves were often endowed with surprising elegance.

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3 0 8 t wo s t o n e l i n g a m s Himalayan region, naturally formed Size: 24 cm, 16 cm high Found in rivers, rolled smooth over centuries, such stones were collected and installed in temples as symbols of Shiva and fertility. The most highly prized were those with distinctive coloured markings, such as these two examples, which Jean-Claude collected long before large quantities of manufactured fakes appeared on the market in the late 1970s.

309 a n a m mon i t e fossi l on a n or molu-mou n t ed br ec ci a ba se 415â&#x20AC;&#x201C;250 million years old; base circa 1800 Fossil size: 19 cm high, 25 cm long Base size: 11 cm high, 28 cm square

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310 a ta n t r ic di agr a m Western India, early 18th century Size: 11.5 × 26.3 cm Colours on paper Inscribed on the back: ‘J.C .Ciancimino personal. SHRISHTI. Shrishti [emanations, creations] qui proviendrait d’un manuscript du Shuddacittavanisutra, traite de cosmologie. Elle figuerait diverses étapes de la formation de corps célestes et d’orbites. Indes occidentale début 18e cent.’ In 1960s London the word ‘Tantra’ immediately conjured up Jean-Claude, the genie who could magically create marvellous displays in his King’s Road gallery. Life-size paintings of Cosmic Man, mysterious maps of other realms, brightly coloured

path-markers to inner worlds, objects of power from unknown traditions. It was a heady mix that fascinated everyone who crossed his threshold, on a level that no one before or since has quite achieved. It was a Theatre of the Imagination, over which he presided like a genial magus. Much later he said, somewhat wistfully, that in the early days of his travels in India he had access to great masterpieces, but he was irresistibly drawn to this other area of which Tantra was part. By comparison it was worth very little, and then it was that he accepted that he wasn’t in it for the money.

3 1 1 a b u d d h i s t r e l i q ua r y Japan, 17th century Size: 6.5 cm high I remember very well the day Jean-Claude bought this reliquary at a Christie’s auction in October 1972. It was part of the Ducas Collection, a large group of mainly Himalayan bronzes owned by an elderly couple in Paris. Their interest in such things had come from a spell in Indo-China. Provenance: Ducas Collection, Paris; sold at Christie’s, London

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31 2 cosmic m a n Jain, Gujarat, 18th century Size: 31 × 13 cm Opaque watercolour on wood Exhibited and published: The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1994–5; Kimbell Art Museum, 1995; New Orleans Museum of Art, 1995; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; catalogue no. 97

3 13 a n o r m o l u - m o u n t e d g o l d - f l e c k e d l a pis-l a zu li cor i n t h i a n colu mn France, early 19th century Size: 42.5 cm high

31 4 a m ason ic ta ble a n d sph er e i n bronze Italy, early 19th century Size: Table 15 cm high; Sphere 7.5 cm diameter

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3 15 t wo s t o n e f i g u r e s o f a da n c i n g g o d d e s s Central India, 14th–15th century Size: 33 cm and 19 cm high

3 1 6 a pa i r o f b r a s s g r e a t st el l at ed dodeca h edrons France, early 19th century Size: 32 cm high These are rare three-dimensional realizations of Wentzel Jamnitzer’s engravings of polyhedra, published in 1568 in Nuremberg. This book was based on Plato’s Timaeus and Euclid’s Elements, and contains 120 forms based on Platonic solids. Johannes Kepler presented them mathematically for the first time in 1619. The magnificently bearded Jamnitzer worked as court goldsmith for all the German emperors of his era, including Charles V, Ferdinand I, Maximilian II and Rudolf II.

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3 17 e g y p t i a n wo o d t o r s o o f a wo m a n New Kingdom, 1550–1070 bc Size: 14 cm high Jean-Claude obviously had a taste for women from all over the world, and age was no discouragement, even when she had lost her head.

318 t h e bea r d of a ph a r aoh Egypt, 18th Dynasty, 1550–1292 bc Size: 19 cm long Carved wood This beard is a reminder of an event that took place in 2014, reported in the newspapers as follows: ‘The Egyptian Museum is currently investigating employees’ claims that Tutenkhamun’s famed stone-encrusted gold beard was broken during a routine clean of the showcase the mask, first discovered in 1922, is kept in. “What happened is that one night they wanted to fix the lighting in the showcase, and when they did that they held

the mask in the wrong way and broke the beard,” a museum official, who asked to remain anonymous, alleged. In a desperate attempt to cover up the error, he claims, the perpetrators crept in overnight to fix it, but bungled their attempt, using the wrong adhesive and attaching it incorrectly. So they sneaked back into the museum in the early hours of the following day to have another go at it.’

3 1 9 a h a r d s t o n e va s e The Levant, early 1st millennium bc Size: 8 cm high

3 2 0 a n e g y p t i a n wo o d h e a d - r e s t New Kingdom, 1550–1070 bc Size: 16.5 cm high, 29.5 cm long

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321 u r ba n obl omovsk y 1927–1983 ‘And on the Seventh Day God ended His work which He had made’ New York, 1959–75 Size: 2 m × 1.60 m Mixed media Oblomovsky arrived in New York as a refugee from Ukraine in 1940. His aristocratic and Orthodox father married a Catholic, who insisted he be called ‘Urban’, in honour of Pope Urban II. This Pope, who had initiated the First Crusade, was greatly admired by his mother. Oblomovsky was highly educated and artistic, and cut a strange figure amongst the artistic bohemia of New York, to which he gravitated. He chose to dress in Tsarist military uniforms, a trunk of which had accompanied him, and treated those around him as intellectual inferiors, which they undoubtedly were. He wasn’t interested in sleeping with other artists’ wives, preferred drinking vodka to paint-stripper, maintained that caviar was better than a hamburger, and therefore didn’t fit in easily with the artistic environment of New York at that time. His closest friend was Nat Nate, who threw

himself off the Staten Island ferry. He told David Sylvester, in an interview he insisted should remain unpublished for a century, that until the rest of the world caught up with him, Pollock was rubbish with his limp drippings, and the rest of them were just con-men, promoted by other con-men. He alone was pure, so much so that he destroyed everything until he engaged himself on his one defining work of art, on which he worked for 16 years. He never considered it finished, but in 1975 he became entranced by a beautiful young blonde, also originally from the Ukraine, to whom his energies were thereafter devoted. This was the cause of his separation from his wife of 30 years, Ludmilla Oblomovskaya, the famous male impersonator, who told. Fortunes were lost on Wall Street. Here, for the first time, this forgotten master’s masterpiece is revealed.

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322 m a n r ay 1890–1976 A l’Heure de l’Observatoire – les Amoureux Size: Image: 35.5 × 89.8 cm, Sheet: 60.5 × 105.3 cm Lithograph printed in colours, 1970, initialled in pencil, inscribed ‘essay’, one of two trial proofs in a unique combination of colours (aside from the edition of 150), on wove paper Lee Miller came to live with Man Ray in Paris in 1929, and left him in 1932, returning to New York to pursue her own career as a photographer. She was extraordinarily beautiful, stylish, artistic, lively and intelligent, and her loss to Man Ray was almost more than he could bear. This famous image of her lips, floating over the Paris Observatory against the morning sky, remains one of the most haunting expressions of his nostalgic despair, and the enduring scar that she inflicted on him. Man Ray explained the image as follows: ‘It is 7 o’clock in the morning on the clock, before the imagination’s hunger is satisfied. The sun has not yet decided if he is going to rise, or remain set – but your mouth appears… She becomes like two bodies, separated by the horizon line, thin, undulating. Like the Earth and the Sky, like you and me, and so like all microscopic bodies, invisible to the naked eye… The lips of the Sun, you draw me ceaselessly nearer and nearer, and, in the moment before waking, when I leave my body – in a state of weightlessness – I rejoin you in the bright light

of day and the same empty space, and, my unique reality, I kiss you with the only thing of mine that remains: my lips.’ Reading this scalding tribute to Lee Miller suggests that he reached a point in his relationship with her where he accepted that the most important element was the experience itself, not whether it could or should last forever, whatever pain that entailed. Willingly burned like the moth in the flame, he was also liberated and enhanced. This trial proof is not unique. Another impression in this colour combination, bearing the dedication, ‘For Juliet’, remained part of the artist’s estate prior to being offered at auction at Sotheby’s, London, in the Man Ray Sale in 1995. The image had many progeny: Salvador Dalí’s May West Lips Sofa of 1937 (see overleaf); the logos for the Rocky Horror Show and the Rolling Stones in the 1960s. The original painting features in an iconic photograph by Man Ray, which includes a reclining nude and a game of chess.

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3 2 3 s a lva d o r da l í Mae West’s Lips Sofa Made, and re-branded ‘Marilyn Lips’, by Studio 65, 1972 Size: 84 cm high, 205.5 cm wide Wool-upholstered The creation of this iconic design resulted from the collaboration between Salvador Dalí and Edward James in 1936. James wished to create a Surrealist interior, initially for his house in Wimpole Street, but subsequently realized for Monkton House on his West Dean estate. He commissioned five examples, made by John Hill’s firm Green & Abbot, and by Edward Garrick at Associated Artist-Technicians. They were covered in Schiaparelli pink satin, or red and pink Melton wool. The pink satin example, still with the Edward James Foundation, was shown at the Surreal Things exhibition at the Victoria and Albert

Museum in 2007. A wool version was purchased by the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, and another bought from Edward James by the Robert Fraser Gallery was acquired by the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam at auction in 2003. Recently the Foundation sold one of the pair of sofas from the dining-room at Monkton, in auction at Christie’s (15th December 2016) for £750,000. Why Mae West became Marilyn in 1972 is somewhat of an e-lip-tical mystery. 38/150 made $50,000 Sotheby’s NY 02.05.15

(Overleaf)

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32 4 m a n r ay Cadeau Cast metal multiple, 16.5 cm high Signed, titled and numbered 4822/5000 in white ink on the handle Initialled and numbered on the printed plastic justification card Cast by the Mirano Foundry, Venice Published by Luciano Anselmino, Turin With the original text and styrofoam casing

325 m a n r ay Poire d’Erik Satie Colour lithograph on paper, 1969 Size: 45.7 × 29.2 cm Signed with monogram (lower right) and numbered ‘116/120’ (lower left) Provenance: Vito Giallo, New York Seward Kennedy, London Literature: Anselmino, 45

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326 m a n r ay Priapus, God of Fertility Edition of Galerie Iolas, 1972, signed and numbered 185/500 Size: 52 cm high, 30 cm diameter Sculpture consisting of four cylindrical and spherical elements made of marble from Paros. The original drawing dates from 1920. Only 250 of the edition were signed by Man Ray before he died. Bibliography: Jean-Hubert Martin, Rosalind Kraus and Brigitte Hermann, Man Ray: Objets de mon affection, Sculptures et Objets. Catalogue raisonné, Éditions Alexandre Iolas, Paris, 1983, p. 141, no. 23.

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327 j i m di n e Palettes No. IV Multiple, with wood and paint, 1969 Size: 71 × 51 cm (outer margins) Signed and numbered 35/74 in pencil (lower right) Original Plexiglas frame with publisher’s ink stamp (verso) Published by Petersburg Press, London. From Four Palettes, Galerie Mikro 56

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3 2 8 a m a h o g a n y a r t i s t ’s pa l e t t e Stamped: ‘Young, 37 Gower St WC, 1888’ Made for E. Hinchcliffe Size: 60 cm It is obvious why such a palette appealed to Jean-Claude. He liked to paint, and so a palette like this, eccentric in its shape, would have worked on his imagination. The palettes of Van Gogh and Manet are as fascinating to look at as the paintings of De Kooning and Rauschenberg. Collecting the tools of great artists is no new thing. The Fatimid caliphs of Cairo in the 11th century made collections of the pens of great calligraphers. Provenance: Jean-Claude Ciancimino

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a m er ic a n pr i n t-m a k i ng in the 20th cen tury The first half of the 20th century was a golden age for American print-makers. In some ways the situation there echoed what was happening in England, with Christopher Nevinson, Eric Ravilious, Edward Bawden and Paul Nash, among others. In the post-World War II era their art went out of fashion, and although more recently Ravilious and others have become valued again, many of their American equivalents are still sunk in oblivion. This is a pity, since their visionary compositions, and their skill in rendering them, have lost nothing of their enchantment and power. Best known today among the American images from the inter-war years are the sky-scraper builders who hang from girders, as shown by James E. Allen. Or the Delmonico Building by Charles Sheeler. This was very much the East Coast school, fascinated by the graphics of construction and industry. The impulse for this group of artists was provided by Joseph Pennell, James McNeill Whistler’s heir apparent, who returned to New York in 1904. Accompanying this urban landscape came the dark, moody peregrinations around town by Edward Hopper, and the brilliant journalistic images of George Bellows. Elsewhere, in Middle America and on the West Coast, other themes captured the skills of engravers, etchers, lithographers, woodblock printers and those who mastered the difficult multiple techniques of whatever they combined to transmit their images. Their absorption in the American landscape gave them access to a mystical frequency, which is reminiscent at first sight of Samuel Palmer and William Blake. The wildness of the West gave new bite to this kind of imagery. They lacked nothing

technically by comparison with their East Coast counterparts, with whom they were closely connected through the many regional clubs across America, set up to promote and distribute the printed image. All those represented among this small selection were supreme maestros of their art, recognized as such in their lifetimes, and collected by major institutions across the Continent. The British Museum came late to the table, but in 2008 was able to put on an exhibition, The American Scene, Prints from Hopper to Pollock, in which, because the focus tends towards whatever seems to presage the contemporary, much of the Golden Age is missed. Paul Landacre, the great magus of this craft, is not even mentioned in the index of the catalogue. Modernism, with American Abstract Expressionism as its battering-ram, cast much of what immediately preceded it into oblivion. Paul Manship, the supreme sculptor of the Art Deco era, was totally forgotten in the post-war period, as was the marvellously talented painter from California, Euphemia Charlton Fortune. She said of herself: ‘The conservatives think I’m very modern and the modernists think I’m completely conservative.’ Childe Hassam, a painter of lesser talent, was not entirely forgotten in the same way, probably because he was an Impressionist in style, and thus already one remove away from post-war Modernism. But everything of great quality one day re-emerges to be appreciated and valued. The dizzying brilliance of the Grosvenor School linocuts are once again eagerly sought after, and so no doubt will be the work of their American counterparts.

3 2 9 h o wa r d c o o k George Washington Bridge with “B” Lithograph, 1931–32 Size: 35.2 × 25 cm Full margins. Edition of 50 (from an intended edition of 75). Signed, dated and inscribed ‘75’ in pencil, lower margin. A superb, dark impression with strong contrasts. Duffy 156. Howard Cook (1901–1980) had a stellar career, before, during and after World War II. He married Barbara Latham in 1927, another outstanding artist, and settled in Taos, New Mexico, having travelled extensively in Europe. He represents the link that existed between artists across America, and the brilliance of their craft.

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330 sa m u el m a rgol i es Men of Steel Drypoint, circa 1940 Size: 378 × 295 cm. Full margins. Edition of 250. Signed and titled in pencil (lower margin). Published by Associated American Artists, New York. A brilliant, richly inked impression with very strong contrasts. Samuel Margolies (1897–1978) was an outstanding etcher, painter, teacher, writer and lecturer, hugely admired in his lifetime. His images of both urban and rural America are remarkable for their unique visual inventiveness, and the superb quality of their execution.

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3 3 1 pa u l l a n da c r e Laguna Cove Wood engraving on Japan paper, 1935 Size: 13.2 × 7.9 cm Full margins. Edition of 200. Signed and titled in pencil (lower margin). Published by The Woodcut Society, Kansas City. A very good impression. Paul Landacre (1893–1963) is regarded as one of the outstanding printmakers of the modern era. He moved from Columbus, Ohio, to San Diego, California, in 1917, and was the driving-force behind the Southern Californian Artistic Renaissance between the World Wars. His technical virtuosity is evident here, as well as his kind of revelationary intention projected by these images of the landscape. Laguna Cove reveals Paul Landacre at his most magical.

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3 3 2 pa u l l a n da c r e Smoke Tree Not illustrated Wood engraving on Japan paper, 1953 Size: 20 × 15 cm. Full margins. Artist’s proof, aside from the edition of 100. Signed, titled and inscribed ‘FTP’ in pencil (lower margin). A very good impression, with strong contrasts.

3 3 3 pa u l l a n da c r e Desert Wall Wood engraving, 1932 Size: 14 × 17.8 cm Full margins. Signed, titled and numbered 7/50 in pencil (lower margin). A very good, evenly printed impression of this scarce wood engraving.

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3 3 4 pa u l l a n da c r e Sultry Day Wood engraving, 1937 Size: 20.3 × 15.2 cm Full margins. Edition of 200, published by American Artists Group, New York. A superb, evenly printed impression.

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335 bi rger sa n dz en The Sentinel of the Mesa Not illustrated Lithograph on cream laid paper, 1933 Size: 40 × 50 cm Wide margins. Signed, titled and dedicated in pencil (lower margin). A very good impression.

336 bi rger sa n dz en Windwhipped Pines Lithograph, circa 1928 Size: 40.5 × 56 cm Full margins. Signed and titled in pencil (lower margin). A very good impression. It is said that it was fortunate for American art that the Swedish artist Sven Birger Sandzen (1871–1954) decided to emigrate and settle in Kansas. His artistic education took place in Paris among the Impressionists and Pointillists, and once in Kansas he organized the Prairie Print Makers Society. His ability to render the landscape into ‘opalescent jewels of shimmering colors’ led many to see him as the bridge in America between Impressionism and the Abstract-Expressionists. He was heaped with honours, including a knighthood from the King of Sweden. The photograph of him in his studio hints at another strand of his inspiration: behind him is what amounts to a Tibetan Buddhist altar. There is a whiff of Rorik about him.

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337 t hom a s h a rt benson Shallow Creek Lithograph, circa 1928 Full margins. Edition of 150. Signed in pencil (lower right). Published by Associated American Artists, New York. A superb, richly inked impression. Farh 32. Thomas Hart Benson (1889–1975), son of a Missouri Congressman, studied at the Académie Julian in Paris before returning to New York to teach at the Art Students League, where Jackson Pollock was among his pupils. He hankered after rural America, and this image came from an 8,000-mile trip he undertook across the Continent. He became Head of Painting at Kansas City Art Institute for a while, and then devoted himself to producing lithographs with the printer George Miller. He produced the six illustrations in 1939 for John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. He donated forty-five of his works to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, which has the largest holding of his works.

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3 3 8 wa n da g a g Moonlight Lithograph, 1926 Size: 35.6 × 42.9 cm. Wide margins. Edition of 60. Signed, titled and dated in pencil (lower margin). Winnan 26. Wanda Gag (1893–1946) – rhymes with ‘bog’ – studied at the Art Students League in New York, and eventually became the most admired illustrator of her time for her consummate draughtsmanship. She was drawn to a rural America that she could endow with a mystical aura, like Palmer did with Shoreham. This is a radiant example.

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339 ba r ba r a l at h a m A Negro Group Wood engraving on thin laid Japan paper, circa 1927 Size: 18.7 × 22.1 cm. Full margins. Signed and titled in pencil (lower margin), and signed and inscribed ‘imp’ by the printer in pencil (lower right). A very good impression. Barbara Latham (1896–1989) was born in Massachusetts, went to art school in New York, and moved to Taos, New Mexico, in 1925. She specialized in scenes of rural life among the Taos Pueblo Indians, and was highly acclaimed as an illustrator of children’s books.

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3 4 0 a f i n e d i s p l a y o f 2 8 h aw k h o o d s Germany, mid-19th century Case size: 56 × 90 cm Leather, fabrics, feathers and brass; mahogany, green baize and original glass

3 4 1 a g o l d fa l c o n e r ’s c a l l England, 15th–16th century Size: 5 cm long Birds of prey were trained to return to the call of a whistle. These whistles were normally made of wood or bone, and very rarely do we find them in gold. Falconry was the sport of kings, and a familiar part of sporting life until relatively recent times. The fastest and most lethal birds were sought after like footballers are today, and exchanged hands for equivalent sums. The breeding and training of such birds was a deep science, understood and

controlled from the moment the chick broke its shell. Frederick II von Hohenstaufen wrote a work on falconry in the 13th century that remains a classic to this day, with knowledge formed by his access to traditional Arab expertise on the subject, and his experience through continual practice. This Call is so delicate that it may have been made for a Lady of the Court, who practised the sport on equal terms with their menfolk.

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3 4 2 a s e t o f ho lt z a p f f e l wo o d wo r k i n g c h i s e l s London, 19th century Case size: 79 × 113 cm (open) 74 chisels (one missing from the full set of 75) The Holtzapffel dynasty of tool and lathe makers was founded in Long Acre by Jean-Jacques Holtzapffel in 1794. The family came from Alsace, and became known for manufacturing high-quality tools and lathes, a business that they maintained successfully until 1930. In 1819 they moved to premises at 64 Charing Cross until 1901, when, after a brief stay in Bond Street, they settled in Haymarket. Jean-Jacques’ son, Charles, wrote the definitive work on ornamental turning, which ran to some 3,000 pages. They eventually closed down because turning went out of fashion. This set of chisels remains a reminder of how close artists and artisans once were. In Dresden, the tools, lathes and magnifying glasses were venerated as much as the objects they produced.

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3 4 3 a da y a k ‘s o u l b oa t ’ Kenyah-Kayan style, Mahakam River, East Kalimantan, Borneo, 19th century Size: 115 cm long, 26 cm high, 30 cm wide. Hardwood, shells and glass beads The Kenyah-Kayan live in massive communal longhouses along the Kayan, Mahakam and Rejang rivers in central Borneo, and are the most aesthetically accomplished of the Dayak peoples. The men were head-hunters, displaying the heads of their enemies in the longhouse gallery. When headhunting was forbidden the Dayaks experienced a prolonged cultural nervous breakdown: how could a man hope to bed a bride without a couple of heads on display? Their cosmos is divided into an Upperworld and an Underworld, and their decorations are designed to keep away the malevolent influences of the various spirits that abound in forests and rivers. The Aso, which decorates this ‘Soul Boat’, is a protective super-natural creature, combining dog, dragon and forest vine tendrils, characteristic of Kenyah-Kayan art and curiously

reminiscent of Celtic art. Funeral accoutrements were important among the Dayaks, and a coffin such as this would have been placed on the veranda of a longhouse. Like the heads of enemies, the bones of the community were regarded as the sustainers of life. Noble members were represented by the Aso, and attended by elaborate rituals. Such a coffin could not by custom be brought up the steps of a longhouse, and therefore a hole was made in the veranda for it to be hoisted into place. Another ‘Soul Boat’ was exhibited at the Fowler Museum of Cultural History, UCLA, in 1994 in an exhibition entitled Arc of the Ancestors, Indonesian Art from Jerome L. Joss Collection at UCLA (catalogue no. 40). The first major exhibition of Dayak art was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1999–2000.

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3 4 4 f o u r b a o u l e wo o d b o b b i n s Ivory Coast, 19th century a. A long-beaked bird of abstract form, 21 cm high. b. A man clasping his beard and groin, with a fine woven hair-style ending in a pigtail, 19 cm high. c. A human-headed elephant (?)with a curled trunk, 18 cm high. d. A young girl with a long slender neck and elegant hair-do, 16.5 cm high. Provenance: Charles Ratton, Paris Private collection, UK

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3 4 5 wo o d e n s p o o n g i r l Southern Africa, probably by a Nguni sculptor, circa 1900 Size: 32 cm high Presented to girls on their maturity, such spoons were to be used to prepare food for the new husband. The pose is beguiling. Leaning back with bent legs, the Spoon Girl is performing a dance still typical of adolescent girls in the region. It was just such a spoon that inspired Alberto Giacometti’s Spoon Woman of 1926–7, where suggestive dance has been replaced by totemic rigour.

3 4 6 a monox y l ic dr i n k i ng c u p from t h e ya k a people South-central Congo, along the Wamba River, circa 1930 Size: 11.5 cm high, 14.5 cm wide This cup had a ceremonial purpose, to seal a deal between two chieftains who each drank out of one of the spouts. I’m not sure what they drank, but undoubtedly something potent. Other examples are known, of course, but the addition of a limp phallus is unusual. At first sight it seems marvellously comical, a piece of wood that, with its feet and phallus, aspires to the human condition. R. Crumb could have paired it up with Honeybunch Kominsky, trucking on down Madison Avenue.

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3 47 a c ol ossa l c opper a n k l et Mbole tribe, Central Congo, 19th century Size: 24 cm Weight: 1.8 kg Copper was wealth in the Congo in the 19th century, and wives of the important Mbole chieftains wore these enormous anklets. This example is particularly fine. The benefits of such accessories were several: the chieftain could keep an eye on his bank-balance as it followed him around; his bank-balance displayed in public enhanced his prestige; and the wife who wore it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easily run away.

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3 4 8 a n i f u g a o wo o d f o o d b o w l Ifugao people, Luzon, Philippines, 19th century Size: 36 cm diameter This classic Ifugao artefact, adzed from hardwood, has been described as ‘perhaps the most beautiful and functional food bowl devised by mankind’. The central cavity, curved inwards towards the top, was for rice, and the two shallow cavities for spices, perfectly designed for a couple to share a meal, and adapted for eating with the right hand. The buffalo-horn spoon, from the same area, was for filling the spice-bowls, not for eating. In the early 1900s imported enamel plates brought an end to these beautiful creations.

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3 49 sev en hok ata sh el l s Solomon Islands, 19th century Size: 14 cm – 6.7 cm For smaller transactions in the Solomon Islands, too small for Bakia currency (see below), ground-down auger (Terebra) shells were used, which only took a few days to produce. One such shell was the standard payment for a night with a Solomon lady. Looking at these, one wonders whether size mattered. The lady would then either barter it next day in the market, or keep it until the following Sunday and deposit it in the collection plate at the evangelical church of the Melanesian Mission. It is to be hoped that these shell tokens allowed the missionaries in turn to enjoy the position of their calling. Hornshaw, from whose collection they came, was renowned as the first real expert on Aboriginal rock art in Australia. Provenance: Bernard L. Hornshaw (1878–1937), archaeologist and collector

350 ba k i a cu r r enc y Rubiana Lagoon, Solomon Islands, collected in 1895 Size: 17 cm. Weight: 1.48 kg Such island currencies were not subject to inflation or devaluation; there, in the Solomon Islands, one of these was permanently exchangeable for one wife or 1,000 coconuts. It seems fair, when you consider that it took at least two months of laborious chipping with stone tools, and then grinding with sand and fibre, to transform the shell of the Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) into a transactional commodity.

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351 old sna k e mon ey Cameroon, 19th century Size: 26 cm long Weight: 53 g

352 copper cu r r enc y Ibo tribe, Nigeria, 19th century Size: 41 cm Weight: 2.78 kg Spirally twisted copper was the original currency of the Ibo, and then the cowrie shell was introduced in the 16th century. Similar, I suppose, to the gold sovereign being supplanted by bits of paper. When cowries were rare, a few could buy a woman, but as supply increased the price went up to twenty bags-full. It was women’s councils among the Ibo that set the cowrie exchange rate, and one suspects that the inflation must have had something to do with the women’s own evaluation of themselves. But in times of inflation gold becomes king, and similarly, while cowries devalued, a bar of copper like this could be relied on to stock a considerable harem.

353 a sh a r k fish i ng hook Cook Islands, early 19th century Size: 18 cm long Known as a matau by the Cook Islanders, this rare example has a fine glossy patina, and traces of shark-tooth marks. The largest island, Rarotonga, was first visited in 1789 by the mutineers of the Bounty, and the London Missionary Society based themselves on the island of Aitutaki in 1821. Their collection of confiscated idols is in the British Museum.

354 r ice cu t t er Cambodia, mid-20th century Size: 28 × 46 cm Ox-horn and steel The horn gathered a beak-full of rice, which was then cut with a deft swipe of the blade. Provenance: Private collection, USA

355 pe a r l - sh el l br i de pr ic e Not illustrated New Britain, circa 1900 Size: 22 cm maximum diameter The largest island of the Bismarck Archipelago, New Britain was known as Neu-Pommern until 1914, when it changed ownership. The black pearl shell (Pinctada margaritifera) was formerly used as a bride price on this island, hung with fibres, shells and dog’s teeth. It would have been used for several bride purchases, and have been given its own personal name.

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3 5 6 a c o m b - s h a p e d p e n da n t i n mot t led h a r dston e Ancient Bactria, 3rd millennium bc Size: 9 cm across

357 a fossi li zed cor a l cer emon i a l a x e h ea d Pacific Islands, pre-Contact Size: 18 cm long

358 a h a r dston e a x e h ea d Pacific Islands, pre-Contact Size: 32 cm long

3 59 a n i vo r y s t a n d i n g f e m a l e f i g u r e Orissa, 18th century Size: 20.6 cm high She presents herself very boldly, unlike coy Greek Aphrodite. She reflects several recognizable traditions, such as the monumental Jain statues whose frontal stance she mimics, and the pervading eroticism of Indian religious sculpture, and yet she doesn’t entirely fit into these categories. She certainly wasn’t designed to titillate the jaded palate of an Orissan aristocrat, nor to explain how the natives

look naked to a curious colonial. She just belongs to that ineffable Indian tradition of sensing the divine in the female form, something that no doubt made Jean-Claude Ciancimino embrace her. Provenance: Jean-Claude Ciancimino, London Sven Gahlin, acquired 1969

3 6 0 a m u g h a l i vo r y p o m m e l North India, circa 1600 Size: 4.5 cm high The ivory is carved in the form of a lion’s head with a gazelle in its maw, and patinated with shades of molasses-red.

3 6 1 a n i vo r y p e n - b o x Deccan, 17th century Size: 26.5 × 11.5 × 9 cm There are similar pen-boxes in the Museum fur Islamische Kunst, Berlin, and in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Provenance: Nicholas Woodbridge, Bath Sven Gahlin, acquired 1989

3 6 2 t wo h awa i i a n s t o n e a d z e s Not illustrated Big Island of Hawaii, 17th–18th century Size: 17.5 cm and 16.5 cm long Of typical faceted Polynesian shape used for canoe-building, before the introduction of metal by Captain Cook. Old labels.

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3 6 3 j o h n s o n d o n a t u s ‘o k h a i o j e i k e r e ’ ‘Coiffed to Kill’ Lagos, Nigeria, 28th January 2011 Size: 60 × 49.5 cm Johnson Donatus Aihumekeokhai Ojeikere was born in 1930 in Ovbiomu-Emai, a rural village in south-western Nigeria, but lived and worked in Ketu. At the age of twenty he pursued a future in photography, which was out of the ordinary for people in Nigeria, especially those in his village. Cameras were not in high demand, and were of low priority as they were considered a luxury. However, ‘Okhai Ojeikere was passionate about photography; in 1950 he bought a modest Brownie D camera without flash, and had a friend teach him the fundamentals of photography. He started out as a darkroom assistant in 1954 at the Ministry of Information in Ibadan. After Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, Ojeikere returned to his first job as a

photographer. In 1951 he became a studio photographer under Steve Rhodes, for Television House Ibadan. From 1963 until 1975 Ojeikere worked in publicity at West Africa Publicity in Lagos. In 1967 he joined the Nigerian Arts Council. In 1968 he began one of his largest projects, documenting Nigerian hairstyles. This was the hallmark of Ojeikere’s work. He printed approximately a thousand pictures of different African women’s hair. A large selection of Ojeikere’s work was included in the Arsenale section of the 55th Venice Biennale. Il Palazzo Enciclopedico was curated by Massimiliano Gioni in 2013. ‘Okhai Ojeikere died on 2nd February 2014, at the age of 83.

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3 6 4 a l e l e t r i b e da n c e m a s k Central Congo region, circa 1900 Size: 24 cm high The Lele people, related to the Kuba tribe, live between the Sankuru and Kasai rivers. Their rare face masks are almost flat, and appear annually at celebratory dances.

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365 h.m. bat em a n 1887– 1970 A Ventriloquist at Christie’s Size: 34 × 49 cm Watercolour on paper H.M. Bateman was the great cartoonist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cartoonists of all time. A Ventriloquist at Christie’s was among his best-known works, and although it has not been seen publicly for more than half a century, it a has a page of its own on the internet. The first time I was invited to lunch in the board-room of Christie’s, I noticed there was a framed photograph of the cartoon above the sideboard. Only much later did the original come my way.

Bateman portrays himself in the back row as the ventriloquist, the little man who dares to confuse the art world with his cheeky performance. Bids bounce off every animate and inanimate surface. Daumier mocked the world of art connoisseurship in a specifically French way, and here Bateman does something similar, but more delicately. Provenance: Leicester Galleries, 1974 Mark Shand

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t h e pl ace Number 5 Cromwell Place is at the north end of four elegant columned Victorian residences, and built a century or so before its neighbours. The curious appearance comes from the fact that the upper floors were topped and transformed into a magnificent artist’s studio by Sir John Lavery, with a ceiling 10 metres high. Whistler described John Singer Sargent as an ‘acrobat in paint’, a bon mot that could equally have applied to Lavery. Until recently an artist’s great technical fluidity was often regarded as suspect, as if expressing whatever artists are supposed to transmit was too easy to be profound. This type of assessment is less in evidence now, if the art market is anything to go by. Lavery not only painted brilliantly, he also wrote elegantly: The Life of a Painter, 1940, reprinted 2013, is very interesting to read. Fashions in art fluctuate because of multiple factors. Lavery was part of a group of brilliant artists in London, painters, writers and poets, who prefigured in a curious way what happened here again in the 1960s, when the main form of expression was music rather than painting. The painters around Lavery – Sargent, Whistler, Sickert, Orpen, Nicholson, the Nash brothers, Nevinson, and many others – were not very impressed by Impressionism, nor very curious about Cubism. Since those two movements became the focus of the art market, these magicians of paint were long stored in the basement, and their re-emergence is relatively recent. Lavery’s career is extraordinary. From childhood poverty in Ireland and a tough youth in Glasgow, he became a very great painter, honoured and frequented by the great and the good. All the while enjoying the Bohemian lifestyle that Chelsea of the time provided. As he said: ‘To be all things to all women one must be Irish.’ George Bernard Shaw came to have his portrait painted in 1911 because he was fascinated by the idea that Lavery’s mistress had been a flower-girl from Covent Garden. Their conversations during his sittings resulted in Pygmalion (and then My Fair Lady). Robert Louis Stevenson wrote to him that artists were merely on a par with the daughters of joy, who are paid for what they enjoy most. Ruskin’s claim that Whistler was flinging a paint-pot in the face of the public is somehow reminiscent of John Lennon saying that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. Art and outrage. In 1912 the King and Queen came to view their portraits. King George did not like the colour of his Garter ribbon. Lavery mixed some paint and the King applied it, awkward blobs still visible on the painting now in the National Portrait Gallery. The list of people who sat in this studio is impressive, no doubt in part due to the enormous charm of his Irish-American wife Hazel, who seems to have enchanted everyone who met her. Winston Churchill fidgeted furiously; Hazel Lavery gave him a box of paints and a canvas to reduce his fidgeting, and so began his painting career. Lloyd George, Asquith, Birkenhead, John Masefield, Sarah Bernhardt, Pavlova, Lily Langtree, James Barrie – the list goes on to include everyone influential in society at the time, and significant in the arts. Lavery writes perceptively about the perils of portraiture. He visited Sargent one day and admired a recently finished portrait. ‘Yes,’ answered Sargent, ‘I’ve just made another enemy.’ Rodin, to whom he was close, made exactly the same observation. It was also a meeting-place for the Irish at a time when it was dangerous. In 1922 Michael Collins was hidden here, with a £10,000 reward on his head, unofficially safe-conducted for his visit to London. At dinner in this house, Winston Churchill showed a South African poster which read: ‘£10 Reward for Winston Churchill, dead or alive.’ ‘We put a bigger price on

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5 Cromwell Place hall and stairs, 1919

John Lavery in his studio, 1919

you, Mr. Collins,’ said Churchill; ‘I think it was £10,000.’ ‘Prices have gone up since your day, Mr. Churchill,’ answered Collins. Lavery was immensely impressed by Collins, and went to paint him lying in his coffin in Ireland after he was shot. Casement also met Churchill here surreptitiously. Reading Lavery’s autobiography immensely complicated writing this brief survey of the building. So many magnificent quotes, fascinating encounters and observations, that the mind becomes easily scrambled and incapable of delivering a straight narrative. For example, a quote about his friend William Patrick Wright: ‘He was an honourable gentleman – one of the few I have ever met – with which he combined the wit of a genius. I cannot recall the brilliant gems he let fall (in days before men treasured up every bon mot so that it might be published and paid for). Three only I remember, and those three I lay as a wreath to his memory.’ On religion: he said he did not attend church because prayer showed a want of confidence in the Creator. On morality: ‘I have never gone back on the devil for the pleasure he has given me.’ And when his income became considerably reduced he said: ‘I am living on the explanations of how my friends lost my money.’ Lavery was born in 1856. Member of the Royal Academy, the Royal Scottish Academy, and the Royal Hibernian Academy. Also of the Royal Academies of Rome, Antwerp, Milan, Brussels and Stockholm, the Société Nationale des Beaux Arts of Paris and the Autumn Salon. ‘Hors Concours’ in the Society of French Artists and Corresponding Member of the Institute of France. Member of the Secessions of Berlin, Munich and Vienna, and the Spanish Artists in Madrid. Knighted in 1918. Chevalier of the Crown of Italy and of Leopold of Belgium. Hon. LL.D of Queen’s University, Belfast, 1935; of Trinity College, Dublin, 1936; and a Freeman of both cities. Most of all, he painted beautifully.

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The effect in sickness of beautiful objects, of variety of objects, and especially of brilliancy of colour, is hardly at all appreciatedâ&#x20AC;Ś . People say the effect is only on the mind. It is no such thing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the effect is on the body, too. Little as we know about the way in which we are affected by form, by colour and light, we do know this, that they have an actual bodily (physical) effect. Variety of form and brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients are actual means of recovery. Florence Nightingale