AN ITALIAN MARBLE GRAND TOUR FIGURE OF ISIS

AN ITALIAN MARBLE GRAND TOUR FIGURE OF ISIS

AFTER THE ANTIQUE, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

standing contraposto, wearing a diaphanous gown, with her left hand to her breast, on a rectangular base; together with a Sicilian jasper pedestal of rectangular section, with an ovolo moulding and a plinth foot (2)

Isis: 95cm high

pedestal: 100cm high

Catalogue Note

Isis had a key role in the ancient Egyptian belief system, she was the protector of her husband Osiris and their child, Horus, which made her a maternal and compassionate deity figure. The adoration of Isis diffused into other cultures and her worship also appeared in ancient Greece and in the Roman Empire. Her attributed role and power evolved and her character became similar to other deities, for example to the Greek goddess Demeter and her daughter, Persephone. The representation of these female figures often show similar features, like corkscrew locks of hair and dressed in a drape-around robe.