tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34456857443132014472024-03-05T06:12:53.849-05:00Samuel Merrin & GalleryOn ancient art and The Merrin GallerySamuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-34215773422250989362012-05-21T10:41:00.000-04:002012-05-21T14:28:40.471-04:00Neskhons' Heart Scarab & Ba-Bird<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Hg4JB1XhD9YpgUD11dlWWKWkcIQiqY4UOV7aeFlTOzwogYExGDEt4AMFDwc37hduVcKwNhoDjAFnP88SXLpkpJ4dXMxCmg8_EZ-24pvcch1HU4whvX0o7lIGRcqIK-ITkQVIUH0EMWyz/s1600/IMG_0024-Neskhons-Sarcophagus.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Hg4JB1XhD9YpgUD11dlWWKWkcIQiqY4UOV7aeFlTOzwogYExGDEt4AMFDwc37hduVcKwNhoDjAFnP88SXLpkpJ4dXMxCmg8_EZ-24pvcch1HU4whvX0o7lIGRcqIK-ITkQVIUH0EMWyz/s320/IMG_0024-Neskhons-Sarcophagus.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful detail <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931284029/in/set-72157627056623279/">inside Neskhons' sarcophagus</a>.</td></tr>
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Part of a large, ancient Egyptian sarcophagus acquired and sold by the Merrin Gallery, <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/11/merrin-sarcophagus.html">Neskhons' mummy</a> was accompanied by the traditional amulet and falcon pendants. While dwarfed by the size of the sarcophagus and the elaborate decoration, these items hold great significance.<br />
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The amulet, called a "heart scarab", is a <b>large, beetle-shaped object</b>,
usually of green stone or <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/08/egyptian-amulets-protection-through.html">faience</a>, that was <b>placed over the heart of
the deceased</b>.<br />
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Its form is significant. Because the larvae of the
scarab beetle emerged from a ball of dung in which they incubated, it
appeared as magical regeneration to the ancient Egyptians. It also came to represent the reappearance, each dawn, of the Sun and became associated with the god, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khepri">Khepri</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://public.fotki.com/sammerrin/merrin-gallery/heart-scarab-from.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two falcons from Neskhons' tomb as well as the front and back view of the heart scarab - showing inscriptions" border="0" src="http://images112.fotki.com/v682/photos/0/1299500/8850962/hbitetheartscarabfalconbabirds-vi.jpg" title="" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two Ba-bird falcons with their wings spread and heart scarab were found on<br />
Nekhons' mummy. The back view of the heart scarab reveals the inscription.</td></tr>
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In rituals prescribed in "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_the_Dead#Preservation">The Book of the Dead</a>", the scarab was used in the "weighing of the heart ceremony", in which it was set upon a balance scale against a feather of truth, to determine the individual's fate in the afterlife. An inscription beseeches the heart scarab not to bear negative testimony.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Interestingly, the heart scarab of Neskhons is not inscribed to him but to its original owner, Akhbitet, identifed as the servant of god (i.e., <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/11/priests-of-ancient-egypt.html">priestess</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis#Temples_and_priesthood">Isis</a>). It is assumed that Akhbitet and Neskhons were related, thus the reusing of the amulet.<br />
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<h3>
The Falcon and the Ba-bird</h3>
The two wax winged falcon pendants, also found on Neskhons' mummy were, like the scarab, in a protective coat of natron and bitumen, wrapped in fine linen. Small winged pendants represent an aspect of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931828888/">the spirit called "ba-bird"</a>. Ba-birds retained the power of flight to enable the soul to leave the body in order to travel as it chose, perhaps to visit relatives, before returning to (metaphorically) animate the mummy.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0Qena, Egypt26.155061 32.716012126.09805 32.6370481 26.212072 32.7949761tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-43980259753013015042011-12-06T07:34:00.001-05:002012-06-22T20:17:12.280-04:00Maya Jade Stone: God of CornThe Maya society flourished in parts of Mexico and Central America from the late first millennium BC until the late first millennium AD. Its height, called the “Classic period”, spanned the years 300–900 AD. The Maya founded numerous city-states, each ruled by a lord and supported by a hierarchy of elite and common folk.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=276325502419905&l=9d6fb77078" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Face of the Young Maize God showing the preserved texture of the jade stone it was crafted from" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvkQwr9jY6ZnP1uRsFHb1GT-RaFwHK4RvrLHdGX60IyA_3JH5AI3xZlcoVcysCZiMmK1OmQpOeGOARHwZ4LcfOfQqJ0gB1FxB2OHmqpmbydBmp6VnSwdmR6xuqYprwQH4Yb8HcpQOossw/s200/Young-God-of-Corn-Maya-Merrin.jpeg" title="" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maya royal jade stone figure <br />
of the Young God of Corn.</td></tr>
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<h3>
More Valuable Than Gold</h3>
As in any stratified society, <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/01/video-ancient-maya-war-vase-in-360.html">Maya nobles</a> enjoyed prerogatives denied to their underlings. One privilege was the wearing of precious ornaments that marked their elevated rank. <b>In Maya society, jade was valued beyond all other materials, so the most desirable and expensive adornments were crafted of the hard, verdant stone.</b> The scarcity of jade can be inferred by the frequent uneven edges or asymmetry of completed objects: rather than cut away the “excess” and waste it, the stone was finished to preserve as much jade as possible.<br />
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<h3>
Maya at the Merrin Gallery</h3>
Two late Classic period royal jade pendants, acquired by Samuel Merrin <a href="http://www.yellowpages.com/new-york-ny/mip/merrin-gallery-460275215">for the gallery</a>, are exquisitely carved in the form of human heads, each with its own embellishment of earspools (or perforated lobes for the addition of separately fashioned ear ornaments) and headdress. The leaf-like shape of the headdress elements allow us to identify the individuals represented as the Young Maize God. A similar jade head of a Maize God, though without the perforation that permits wearing, is <a href="http://www.nmai.si.edu/searchcollections/item.aspx?regid=11&irn=49712">in the collection of the Museum of the American Indian</a> and can be seen in <a href="http://www.famsi.org/research/schele/">Linda Schele</a> and Mary Ellen Miller's 1986 book, <i>The Blood of Kings: Dynasty and Ritual in Maya Art</i> (no. 560).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=276325529086569&l=d77320f630" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Profile of the Maya Young Maize God with elaborate detail and decoration in jade" border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/383175_276325529086569_140753949310395_842117_1709865983_n.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A channel, perforated through the top <br />
of each pendant, allowed it to be worn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The variegated green tones of the jade stone make for a particularly appropriate medium to represent this deity — the verdant hue evoking all things green and flourishing. The compact, ovoid form is meant to suggest the seed corn that will produce the mature plant that is the basis of the Maya diet.<br />
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<h3>
Origins: The Corn God</h3>
The Young Maize God began <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_maize_god#Late-Preclassic_and_Classic_Maya_maize_mythology">his mythic life</a> as a mortal, Hun Hunahpu or Hun Hunahaw (literally, first first lord). He and his brother were ballplayers of uncommon skill. The <i>Popol Vuh</i>, a 16th century Quiche Maya tale that has survived, tells of their invitation to play the ballgame versus the lords of the Underworld and the trickery that was employed in their defeat and execution. It fell to the semi-divine sons of Hun Hunahpu, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, to avenge their father and uncle. After many adventures and the use of great cunning, not only were the so-called Hero Twins successful in this mission, but they also enabled their father and uncle to be resurrected, the former as the Young Maize God, a primary deity for the Maya people.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=276325559086566&l=5546f1864a" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Frontal view of the Young Corn God figurine, a common deity in Maya mythology" border="0" height="640" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/393529_276325559086566_140753949310395_842118_93203184_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The father of the Hero Twins becomes the Young Corn God after being resurrected.<br />
He is sometimes shown being dressed by maidens prior to his resurrection.</td></tr>
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Images of the Maize God appear in a variety of media. He was a favored theme on painted pottery. <a href="http://arthistory.yale.edu/faculty/faculty/faculty_miller.html">Mary Miller and Simon Martin</a>'s 2004 book, <i>Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya</i>, depict the deity while dancing, the corn silk and corn husks that wave in a breeze granting graceful movement to the actual plant and appearing like purposeful movements (plate 29). On a painted cup (fig. 15) his sons and a group of beautiful ladies of the Underworld, bring him his jewelry and garments in preparation for his rebirth. A well-known tripod plate depicts the actual moment of his resurrection (fig. 16). Here, the virile, young god emerges from a seed, deep within the belly of a turtle, which represents the Earth. As his sons assist, Hunahpu offering a hand and Xbalanque providing nurturing water, the Maize God rises already bespangled with jade ornaments and a (green) quetzal-feather headdress to emphasize his fecundity.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=276330502419405" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/392059_276330502419405_140753949310395_842120_2051508891_n.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In texts, the Young Maize God and the Young<br />
Corn God are the same, just different<br />
nomenclature.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Maya lord who wore jade pendants such as the two that are our subject, was not only showing devotion to the deity to ensure good crops for his people, not only proclaiming his status, but also identifying with the god: “since a mortal of Maya lore became a god,” he says, “so have I.”<br />
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In fact, in order to replicate the Maize God’s regeneration after death, a Maya lord would be clad in the costume of the Maize God, replete with jade adornments, when he was placed in his tomb. These jade beads were, therefore, precious and also vital to ensure the cycles of dynastic continuity and agrarian fruitfulness.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0Maya Cultural Area, Mesoamerica18.6170274 -89.549763217.654026400000003 -90.8131907 19.5800284 -88.2863357tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-81993851428099426362011-11-08T15:26:00.000-05:002012-04-27T09:55:07.652-04:00The Great Merrin Sarcophagus<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931264843/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ancient Egypt: The Merrin Gallery's Sarcophagus (Lid) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Ancient Egypt: The Merrin Gallery's Sarcophagus (Lid)" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/5931264843_e9621724d9.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Dynasty XXI sarcophagus is made from <br />
sycamore fig-wood with colorfully painted scenes.</td></tr>
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Art experts like Samuel Merrin consider this ancient Egyptian sarcophagus to be among the last great ones in private hands.<br />
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The front lid of <b>Neshkons' sarcophagus</b> is truly a marvel of ancient Egyptian art. Proudly acquired by the Merrin Gallery, it depicts the deceased in mummiform, surrounded by various goddesses, mystical creatures, and many other painted scenes commemorating Neshkons' life and wishing well for his afterlife.<br />
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Purchased when it went up for <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/sets/72157627056623279/with/5931264843/">auction at Christie's</a> in 2006, Samuel Merrin, owner of the Merrin Gallery on New York's Fifth Avenue, recollects that, “We were prepared to pay three times the price we eventually paid, because we recognized its beauty and rarity. We also knew that this would be known as the most prized acquisition at the auction.”<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931281211/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Htp-D'i-Nsw: The Merrin Gallery's Sarcophagus (Right Side) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Htp-D'i-Nsw: The Merrin Gallery's Sarcophagus (Right Side)" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/5931281211_e6d3fde01c.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The right side of both the lid and trough of Neshkons' sarcophagus features varying scenes of ancient Egyptian funerary art with hyerogylphic inscriptions; further <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931281211/in/set-72157627056623279/">detailed on Sam's Flickr</a>.</td></tr>
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The Merrin Gallery's sarcophagus comprises of a lid, trough and the mummy of Neshkons. It was, and still is regarded as a <a href="http://twitter.com/SamMerrin/status/133946323786403842">record bid for a sarcophagus</a> and mummy.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931833276/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Neshkons' Mummy (Part of the Merrin Sarcophagus) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Neshkons' Mummy (Part of the Merrin Sarcophagus)" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6017/5931833276_608a6ab67f.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burried sometime between 900–940 BC, the sarcophagus of Neshkons was excavated in 1900 AD and later shipped from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio, where <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931833276/in/set-72157627056623279/">the mummy was partially unwrapped</a>.</td></tr>
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According to Samuel Merrin's appraisal, “The preservation of the mummy is excellent.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931267241/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="X-ray of Neshkons' Mummy (Part of the Merrin Sarcophagus) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="X-ray of Neshkons' Mummy (Part of the Merrin Sarcophagus)" height="75" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5931267241_4362189c42_s.jpg" width="75" /></a>An x-ray image of the mummy shows us that a metal plate that was placed over an incision by which his internal organs were removed for ceremonial funerary purposes. The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931267241/in/set-72157627056623279/">x-ray of Neshkons' mummy</a>, and analysis thereof, also helped determine that he died at 20 years of age.<br />
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Mr. Merrin reminds us that, “It is one of the best sarcophagi from the best period — the 21st dynasty.” This is evident as the inside and outside of the sarcophagus display wonders of ancient Egyptian art.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931260755/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Anubis & Sons of Horus on Sarcophagus (Inside-Left/Outside-Right) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Anubis & Sons of Horus on Sarcophagus (Inside-Left/Outside-Right)" height="200" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6135/5931260755_8bf2968201_m.jpg" width="100" /></a></div>
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The inside walls of the Merrin sarcophagus are similar in that they depict the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931260755/in/set-72157627056623279/">Four Sons of Horus and Anubis</a> <wiki>with various other deities. </wiki>As far as typography is concerned, a passage known as the <i>htp-di-nsw</i> with additional scripture is featured on both inner sides, but with slight variations. The outer right and left sides are also <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931255805/in/set-72157627056623279/">found to have subtle, intended differences</a> in terms of hieroglyphic scripture, scenes and depictions.<br />
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Speaking to Samuel we discover that, “Judging from the elaborate sarcophagus and the amulets founds under the wrappings, Neshkons must have been a man of high rank and repute.” His coffin is decorated with gods, goddesses and notable figures in ancient Egyptian society (e.g. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931832784/in/set-72157627056623279/">Amenhotep I</a>).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931270653/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Sphinx & Anubis Inside the Merrin Gallery's Sarcophagus by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Sphinx & Anubis Inside the Merrin Gallery's Sarcophagus" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5931270653_e223b17db6_z.jpg" width="499" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Among the many other figures, the inside of Neshkons' sarcophagus features a small sphinx to the left of the central figure (Amenhotep I), below which is a standing Anubis. To the right of the Anubis is a table of offerings, and above that there is a small black figure — Anupet, the female Anubis. </td></tr>
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After Mr. Moshe Bronstein of the Merrin Gallery put down his auction paddle after the winning bid, another dealer was said to have exclaimed that it was a great purchase and asked to buy a half-share of the sarcophagus.<br />
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“Buying a half-share is common among dealers, but we did not need to bring in any partners. We wanted to be the sole owners of this magnificent sarcophagus. We also knew that its provenance was perfect,” Samuel Merrin concludes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931828888/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Ba-Bird in an Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Ba-Bird in an Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus" height="640" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6124/5931828888_99ff2f5f3d_z.jpg" width="501" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside-top part of the Merrin Gallery's sarcophagus features hieroglyphic inscriptions, seated jackal deities, as well as <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5931828888/in/set-72157627056623279/">a Ba-bird, Anubis, and Ipt</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0Luxor, Qena, Egypt25.7006 32.639222.039720000000003 27.585489000000003 29.36148 37.692911tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-3336587164026360082011-08-19T12:38:00.008-04:002011-09-01T21:39:47.132-04:00Egyptian Amulets – Protection Through Ancient Gods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKY4R9Lo3q2WXMZe2fgc98JLTWshBLBLh2STke7nKqo-7hi0ZK6U5wBMbqq9i_IhEbgx5NSRkzDI65KK-vQiI9eFOEwsmfy1sKxfAWsrVkBqgxI4zGs8-Ceo5L1Bs5GG0YkaaQFF1nJdN/s1600/Egyptian+Amulets+-+Faience+Lion+%2526+Taweret+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKY4R9Lo3q2WXMZe2fgc98JLTWshBLBLh2STke7nKqo-7hi0ZK6U5wBMbqq9i_IhEbgx5NSRkzDI65KK-vQiI9eFOEwsmfy1sKxfAWsrVkBqgxI4zGs8-Ceo5L1Bs5GG0YkaaQFF1nJdN/s320/Egyptian+Amulets+-+Faience+Lion+%2526+Taweret+2.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faience lion and Taweret, goddess of fertility.</td></tr>
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<em>What is an amulet?</em> It is a small token or talisman, a precious and portable expression of devotion and the hope for protection from disease, death, infertility, or a myriad of other calamities. "In ancient Egypt, such apotropaic [protective] devices could be fashioned from regular materials — such as stone, ivory, metal, glass, and clay — or faience," explains Samuel Merrin, owner of an antiquities gallery on Fifth Avenue.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/4754621787/in/set-72157625856762286/"><span id="goog_2140479421"></span>Faience<span id="goog_2140479422"></span></a> is a moldable, self-glazing glassy frit — a baked material</strong> composed of quartz, lime, copper, and an alkali. When it was first developed during the late Predynastic Period (ca. 3000 BC), faience was invariably blue-green in color. Later, other colors were achieved. But the original tonalities imbued the material with magical significance, making it much more precious than it's combined components. Egyptians believed that the color blue-green connoted vitality and eternal life.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Amulets were pierced or had integral suspension rings so that they might be worn as jewelry in order to insure the wearer good luck at all times. They could be fashioned in many different forms. <strong>When shaped as animals amulets may represent beloved pets or, alternatively, signify the deity with whom the animal depicted was associated</strong>, for example: <br />
<ul>
<li>monkeys with Hathor — who had dominion over fertility and childbirth,</li>
<li>geese with Amun — the chief Egyptian god and protector of the poor, or Geb — god of agrarian fertility,</li>
<li>frogs with Heqet — another childbirth goddess,</li>
<li>rams with Amun-Ra — the god Amun amalgamated with the sun god,</li>
<li>ibises and baboons with Thoth — the god of creativity, and so on.</li>
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Alternatively, Samuel Merrin adds, "amulets could also depict a deity in full corporeal form or in part. The <em>wadjet</em>-eye is a common amulet that represents the eye of Horus and offers protection from travails in the afterlife." <br />
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Some amulets represent the very thing they are to defend against. For example, a snake head would defend against snake bites.<br />
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Scarab Amulet</h2>
Perhaps the most well-known Egyptian amulet type is the eponymous scarab representing the scarab beetle. Because the dung beetle (family: Scarabaeoidae) arises in the morning and pushes a pile of dung (upon which it feeds) into a ball, it became associated with the reappearance of the rising sun each morning and its daily transit across the sky. <br />
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Thus, Samuel Merrin explains, "the scarab came to be associated with the god Khepri, whose job it was to retrieve the sun from its nightly sojourn in the underworld and to carry it across the heavens." <br />
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Just as the promise of sunrise each day represents a renewal of the daily cycle, the scarab was thought to embody the promise of resurrection and eternal life.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-90681020410443061912011-08-09T16:58:00.007-04:002012-06-22T20:03:16.493-04:00Egyptology – Funerary Shabtis of Ancient EgyptThe origin of the shabti in ancient Egyptian civilization is a debated issue. Nevertheless, by the time of Dynasty XII of the Middle Kingdom (about 1991–1782 BC), shabtis gradually become a fixed feature of the funerary panoply of elite members of Egyptian society. <br />
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“Contrary to popular opinion, these statuettes were not anciently regarded as servants who might magically attend to every whim of their owners. Rather, they were intended to serve as surrogates for both aristocrats and pharaohs of both sexes who were expected to respond to the roll call in the hereafter,” illuminates Samuel Merrin of the Merrin Gallery in New York. <br />
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Also <a href="https://plus.google.com/117637775422555639282/posts/Pop8UsLoBwT">known as an ushabti</a>, the word “shabti” derives from the ancient Egyptian word for “the responder”. They were to perform specific work of an enigmatic nature which primarily entailed the cultivation of fields, the irrigation of the river banks, and “the ferrying of sand of the east to the west and vice-versa”. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>Almost all books published in English on shabtis deal with inscribed examples, with the result that parallels for the shabti in question, shown in the image above, are not readily available. Nevertheless, there are close parallels for this shabti (previously sold by the Merrin Gallery) both in New York, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and in Cambridge, UK, at the Fitzwilliam Museum.<br />
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“The example in New York is somewhat closer: with regard to the modeling of the mummiform body and in the exaggerated, disproportionately large size of the ears — a feature commonly encountered in sculpture of Middle Kingdom date in general;” explains Mr. Merrin as he describes the parallels between shabti at the Merrin Gallery and that at the Met, “the expressive quality of the face is likewise consistent with the sculptural tenets of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Kingdom_of_Egypt#Art">art of certain phases of the Middle Kingdom</a> and imparts a Eurocentric portrait-like sensibility to the shabti’s countenance.”<br />
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Mr. Merrin concludes with an estimate for the shabti’s year of origin: “The almond-shaped, so-called button hole eyes with their somewhat heavy lids (set into the skull under naturalistically modeled brows) and the horizontally aligned mouth with its wide lips (set above a somewhat projecting chin) recall stylistic characteristics common to the second half of Dynasty XII, into which period one can place this shabti.”<br />
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<a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery.html">Shabtis of Dynasty XXVI</a>, like that of Neferibresaneith at the Merrin Gallery, are regarded as the most beautiful.<br />
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<h3>
Literature:</h3>
<ul>
<li>A convenient summary of the issues surrounding shabti origins: <em>Egyptian Shabtis</em>, 1995, Harry M. Stewart, Buckinghamshire, pp. 8–13.</li>
<li>The New York shabti: William C. Hayes, 1953, <em>The Scepter of Egypt I</em>, New York, p. 328, fig. 216.</li>
<li>The Cambridge shabti: Janine Bourriau, 1988, <em>Pharaohs and Mortals: Egyptian Art in the Middle Kingdom</em>, Cambridge, p. 99, cat. no. 82.</li>
</ul>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0724 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA40.7625992 -73.9743386999999768.1599371999999946 -133.73996369999998 73.365261199999992 -14.208713699999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-47755466344742307902011-04-11T08:57:00.011-04:002011-09-01T16:13:02.786-04:00Maya Art – Among Samuel Merrin's Favorites<div style="text-align: right;">
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This cylindrical terracotta Mayan war vase, depicting a battle scene, is one of Samuel Merrin's favorite pieces. (Although recomposed from several pieces, it is complete.) An excellent specimen of ancient South American art, originating from the late-Classic period (600-800 AD), a <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/01/video-ancient-maya-war-vase-in-360.html">360° view of the Mayan war vase</a> reveals its beauty and pristine condition. Samuel Merrin vividly adds:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGbGvCi6L4MlSgrOKXH5zrGqGBaOigv6d-8u1C9BlbD3FdXapHRR2rSntiBss1aik4HxqpN3fdbgNWUILBUARPNkiSewEbMs-8VaedAe6NadaIJjUPSryHdw20xCdoofOTg5E8KtsWt84/s1600/Samuel-Merrin-War-Maya-Favorite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGbGvCi6L4MlSgrOKXH5zrGqGBaOigv6d-8u1C9BlbD3FdXapHRR2rSntiBss1aik4HxqpN3fdbgNWUILBUARPNkiSewEbMs-8VaedAe6NadaIJjUPSryHdw20xCdoofOTg5E8KtsWt84/s200/Samuel-Merrin-War-Maya-Favorite.jpg" width="144" /></a>As a child, in the mid to late 1960s, I remember my father, Edward Merrin, displaying this magnificent vase in our house. He had two vases in his private collection, this war vase and a carved vase <a href="https://www.kimbellart.org/Collections/Collections-Detail.aspx?P=&TypeID=&Focus=&cid=8435&prov=true&cons=true">now in the Kimbell Art Museum</a> in Fort Worth, Texas. The painting is beautifully done with the lines of the figures bold and elegant. This is the last one of a group of six vases still in private hands.</blockquote>
This magnificent and important polychrome painted vase is one of a group of vases that has been identified by an individual (anonymous) artist. The group is identified as the “Fenton School” as after its namesake vase in the collection of the British Museum (collected in the late 18th century in the area of Nebaj, Guatemala).<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The group consists of six vases and one shard: <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aoa/t/the_fenton_vase.aspx">The Fenton Vase</a> at the British Museum; K558 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; K2206 at the Museum für Volkerkunde in Berlin; K1392 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond; a vase at the Museo Popol Vuh, Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatemala City; and a fragment in the same style, current location unknown.<br />
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Four of the vases illustrate scenes in which tribute is received; two display the acquisition of captives. In addition to sharing a distinctive style, several present the same cast of characters, identified by appearance and/or inscription. An analysis through first-hand inspection and literature review by <b>Samuel Merrin</b> reveals why this piece is truly a spectacle of Maya art.<br />
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The Merrin vase is painted in black, red, and orange on a cream ground with a thin wash over some figures to indicate a deeper skin tone. The style is bold, assured, and distinctive. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_D._Coe#Major_publications"><i>The Maya Scribe and His World</i></a>, <b>Michael D. Coe</b> has assigned numbers to the figures on the rollout, starting with #1 to the right of the vertical glyph band that acts as a wall and a visual stop. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5391654051/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side C) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side C)" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5391654051_38645e6046.jpg" width="474" /></a><br />
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Eleven figures are arrayed in a scene of battle. Three of the victors grapple with or grasp three captives by the hair and present the captured warriors to figure #11, wearing an unusual straw hat. Meanwhile, the battle proceeds to the left.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5391654179/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side D) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side D)" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5059/5391654179_d4ca692960.jpg" width="474" /></a><br />
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Coe distinguishes the two warring factions by their ear ornaments: the losers, perhaps a revolutionary faction, wear floral ear ornaments. Thus the three figures on the left, #1, #2, and #3, are still engaged in battle with the protagonist, figure #4 who wears a jaguar skin tunic with false sleeves, a net headdress surmounted by a brimmed hat with a trophy head finial, and a trophy head ornament on his belt. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5392253698/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side A) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side A)" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5392253698_47a548449e.jpg" width="474" /></a><br />
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(The same type of shirt is also worn by figure #2 and figure #7.) He, alone, has a vertical band of orange facial painting running from his forehead to his jaw. (One of his cohorts, figure #7, has a thick horizontal band forming a half mask in the same orange tone.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5392253808/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side B) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side B)" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5392253808_a5bb94b2d0.jpg" width="474" /></a><br />
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In <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/313.html"><i>Lords of the Underworld</i></a>, Coe posits that the scene on our vase occurs on the day 2 Akbal within a Katun 7 Ahau. The Berlin vase (K2206) seems to represent an earlier point in the same fray, before captives had been taken. This depicts twelve figures in battle in a much more frenetic scene. Here, the protagonist seems to be figure #8. With his distinctive profile and vertical stripe of facial painting and wearing the identical jaguar skin shirt, this figure appears to be identical to the protagonist on our vase and therefore the same historical personage. Coe further states that figure #3 on the Boston vase who kneels before the ruler in the palace scene while presenting offerings of cloth, may also be the same individual. The vases were commissioned to celebrate his exploits.<br />
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The glyphic inscription on our vase is as beautifully painted as are the figures. An inscription in the vertical band with a small step, to the left of the main figure (figure #4) states “here it is dedicated, this vessel for fresh cacao”. The glyph for cacao is seen above the head of figure #6. It is an anthropomorphic fish face (ka) followed by a double stacked glyph (wa) creating the sound “kakawa”. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that this vessel was actually used to drink chocolate. The inscription just serves to show that it is a sacred vessel. The additional glyph in the small step on the bottom of the band is figure #4’s “penis title”, a moniker of prowess. The name Ix Balam (literally, “jaguar jaguar”) appears on the vase. This may be the name of the owner. The patron who commissioned this masterful work of art may be Shiyaj K’awiil, as identified on the Boston vase. These two repeat some of the captors and captives.<br />
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Whereas the outcomes of war – torture, sacrifice, and the presentation of captives – often occur as subject matter on Mayan art, the depiction of battles themselves is considerably rarer. When it does appear, it is more likely to be in a large-scale format, such as monumental stone sculptures (stelae, steps, and lintels) or murals. This is what makes this vase so special in the eyes of Samuel Merrin and other specialists of pre-Columbian art.<br />
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Scientific analysis has shown that the Fenton Vase was made in the area of Nebaj, Guatemala. Located between the Maya lowlands and the Guatemala highlands, the Department of Quichė, in which one finds Nebaj, lacks both monumental sculpture and mural painting. The local Maya nobles, in seeking to emulate the lords to the north in the lowlands, commissioned vases, a portable art form. A painting master developed a distinctive style to record the exploits of his patron.<br />
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The vases were presented to nobles in exchange for payment to the Maya lord; thus the vases solidified local allegiances. In tune with the appreciation of Samuel Merrin, this vase has been <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/sets/72157625915157820/">published and discussed in over a dozen major works</a>, but an early appearance was in a publication of the '70s by the Edward H. Merrin Gallery, <i>New Acquisitions: Pre-Columbian Art of Mexico and Guatemala</i>.<br />
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For a <b>360° video</b> of this Mayan vase visit YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zNC4OuwShA">A Samuel Merrin Favorite</a>. Or for more information, follow to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=159196584132798&id=140753949310395&aid=40095">Merrin Gallery's Facebook</a> for <b>detailed specifications</b>.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-40763857508516923122011-02-04T11:22:00.004-05:002011-02-04T11:43:32.180-05:00Roundup: Past Few Merrin MonthsConsolidating fall '10 and winter '10/11 at the <em>Samuel Merrin & Gallery</em> blog.<br />
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Notably includes a look at <strong>Samuel Merrin's professional work</strong> – through matters concerning clients of The Merrin Gallery. As well as <strong>Samuel's personal life</strong> – through an exploration of artistic favorites, and NGO-involvement. <em>(Note that all articles have been updated since their original publication.)</em><br />
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<h4>RECENTLY ON THE <em>SAMUEL MERRIN & GALLERY</em> BLOG:</h4><br />
<h3><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/01/video-ancient-maya-war-vase-in-360.html">Samuel Merrin's Favorite Artwork</a></h3>An article touching on one of Samuel Merrin's favorites pieces of art, included a rotating look the piece through a an all-around 360 video. A more detailed look at the piece itself, and the history behind can be expected on <em>Samuel Merrin & Gallery</em> shortly, but the <strong>article has been updated</strong> with a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/sets/72157625915157820/">list of publications</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40095&id=140753949310395">detailed specifications</a> of Samuel's vase.<br />
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<h3><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/12/merrins-confidential-art-sales.html">Samuel Merrin & Confidentiality</a></h3>An article detailing Samuel Merrin's buying practices and the handling of clients' privacy also (shortly) touched on, for example, his ability to buy back older collections. As well as The Merrin Gallery's competitive edge on auction houses like Sothebie's.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><h3><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/p/about-sam-merrin.html">About Samuel Merrin</a></h3>This blog features general, but up-to-date information on Mr. Merrin on the <em>About Samuel Merrin</em> page, which has also been recently updated.<br />
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<h3><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/01/effective-worthwhile-ngos-samuel-merrin.html">Samuel Merrin & Effective NGOs</a></h3>Only recently published – detailing Samuel Merrin's work with NGOs in the United States caring for the elderly, this article has also been updated with a link to his recent activities in Rwanda.<br />
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<h4>IN OTHER (RELATED) NEWS:</h4><br />
<h3><a href="http://www.facebook.com/MerrinGallery?v=wall">Merrin Gallery: Follow on Facebook</a></h3>The official Facebook page for information and news on The Merrin Gallery has gone through some recent developments since it was launched. New images, links, and announcements on The Merrin Gallery, are accompanied by new members, and a shiny new URL: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MerrinGallery">facebook.com/MerrinGallery</a>.<br />
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Otherwise, enjoy this video-selection of notable and ancient artworks that The Merrin Gallery has sold in the past:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jmP0PJRClP4?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-20148266596780294132011-01-28T23:42:00.015-05:002011-02-08T16:36:50.152-05:00Effective & Worthwhile NGOs<blockquote><em>"When we grow old, there can only be one regret – not to have given enough of ourselves."</em> — Eleonora Duse. </blockquote><strong>Engaging in NGO work is the best thing to do with one's free time. It becomes even more rewarding when you have no 'free time'. Alongside his work with antiquities for various organizations and museums, as well as running his own ancient art business, Mr. <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/p/about-sam-merrin.html">Samuel Merrin</a> is deeply involved with several non-profit organizations.</strong><br />
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Identified as reputable and effectual from first-hand experience, Samuel Merrin would like to invite others to 'join in' with some of these NGOs.<br />
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<strong>DOROT's <em>University Without Walls</em> is an e-learning, educational program for senior citizens that allows both students and teachers to work from home.</strong> It is highly advantageous to both parties as they each save time, expenses, and especially effort in travel – very practical for home-bound elderly people. The students are instructed by hobbyists, academics or even leading experts in their fields, who are able to pass on their knowledge to people that have already been through so much in life, but are still curious.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>A remarkable sight, which establishes lasting bonds between people who would have otherwise never met, where, for example, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-09-23-adult-senior-classes_N.htm">Sam Merrin recollected to the AP</a> in USA Today's article:<br />
<blockquote>[Samuel Merrin] teaches a class on art collecting and another on trends in the art world. Merrin said he often forgets about his students' frailty because of their exuberance. When two of his longtime students, Marion and Ethel, died last year, he said, "It hit me very hard." Although he had never met Marion in person, he said, the 90-plus widow frequently e-mailed him after class. Ethel, who was in her 80s, even took his class after moving to Israel. "Those two deaths affected me where, literally, I took this semester off. I didn't figure on this," he said. "You forget they're elderly."</blockquote>This <em>University Without Walls</em> program at DOROT allows the instructors to do what they love most – teach their trade, and guide their students. And the students are then, in turn, able to put their dedicated interest to good and rewarding use. (Which, if you think about it, differs in many respects to young students in schools and colleges; at least comically, according to television in the 80s. Think – John Huges' <em>The Breakfast Club</em> of 1985.) Interested? Read more, join or take part in the <a href="http://www.dorotusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_replication"><em>University Without Walls</em> at DOROT</a>. <br />
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<strong>Samuel Merrin holds in high-regard the idea that, together, we can help change the world. A not-for-profit organization, The <a href="http://www.dorotusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Merrin_Home">Merrin Institute</a> at DOROT does just that.</strong> It's activities and reaches extend far and wide, as it "mobilizes communities to extend a lifeline of support to the homebound and homeless elderly". Specifically, The Merrin Institute at DOROT, "assists professionals, academics, and students in the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and an understanding of issues confronting the frail elderly".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-I32nJayjwv3Evjgr5HLt1gpR9X_h-AFdzbQFyzi2gG-RgoO4I86IiTMPACn5vbQwkii_GoHc3TyL8b0m2ONTZKJNQi38n3aJTbfQD8P79RSJa5jNvB30_4CKYO1sKROW_KcQu4TSCSM/s1600/Merrin-Institute-DOROT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-I32nJayjwv3Evjgr5HLt1gpR9X_h-AFdzbQFyzi2gG-RgoO4I86IiTMPACn5vbQwkii_GoHc3TyL8b0m2ONTZKJNQi38n3aJTbfQD8P79RSJa5jNvB30_4CKYO1sKROW_KcQu4TSCSM/s1600/Merrin-Institute-DOROT.jpg" /></a>The Merrin Institute at DOROT supports and runs programs that assist in 'bridging the gap' between the young and the old by providing educational and academic support. In a world where life-span is prolonging our 'active years' of life, these programs help to put these to good use, especially in cases where society is not so quick to keep up (e.g. forced retirement, stereotypes).<br />
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<a href="http://www.dorotusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_advisorycouncil">Samuel Merrin is on the advisory council</a> of The Merrin Institute, and also serves as a director at DOROT, in addition to helping with the <a href="http://samuelmerrin.wordpress.com/2010/12/20/join-samuel-merrins-cause-in-rwanda/">Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda</a>.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-79378531676629118372011-01-01T08:29:00.005-05:002011-12-09T09:03:28.707-05:00Video: Ancient Maya War Vase in 360°New Year's greetings from Samuel Merrin and the Merrin Gallery! As Sam is one of the preeminent dealers in the field of ancient art, particularly that of pre-Columbian times, the Merrin Gallery has prepared an exclusive video of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zNC4OuwShA">one of Samuel Merrin's favorite</a> pieces, a war vase crafted by the Maya almost 3,000 years ago. Depicting a battle scene—it is a rarity among their works.<br />
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An all-around view of the vase illuminates both it's beauty and history, through the skillful mastery of the outer decoration:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1zNC4OuwShA?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<i>Update: Read a </i><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/04/samuel-merrin-maya.html"><i>detailed analysis of Mr. Merrin's Maya vase</i></a><i>—on its history, meaning and uniqueness. </i><br />
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<a name='more'></a>As quoted from the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MerrinGallery">Merrin Gallery's YouTube</a> channel:<br />
<blockquote>
Samuel Merrin is the owner and president of The Merrin Gallery, an ancient art gallery in New York founded by Sam's father, Edward Merrin, in the 1960s. This war vase of the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica came into Edward's collection in 1968 and has since been published and discussed in many leading works.</blockquote>
For dimensions and specifications for this Merrin-favorite, as well as some photos, visit the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40095&id=140753949310395">Merrin Gallery's Facebook album</a>.<br />
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Also, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/sets/72157625915157820/">Samuel Merrin's Flickr</a> holds a list of publications featuring this Mayan vase.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5391654179/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side D) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side D)" height="100" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5059/5391654179_d4ca692960_t.jpg" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5392253698/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side A) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side A)" height="100" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5392253698_47a548449e_t.jpg" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5392253808/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side B) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side B)" height="100" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5392253808_a5bb94b2d0_t.jpg" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/samuel-merrin/5391654051/" title="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side C) by Samuel Merrin, on Flickr"><img alt="Mayan War Vase – Battle Scene (Side C)" height="100" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5391654051_38645e6046_t.jpg" width="95" /></a>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-56819728474475628402010-12-15T15:33:00.000-05:002010-12-15T15:33:21.358-05:00Updates: Samuel Merrin & GalleryYou may have noticed that the <b>Samuel Merrin & Gallery</b> blog has just moved to a new domain: <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/">www.sammerrin.com</a>, although <a href="http://samuel-merrin.blogspot.com/">samuel-merrin.blogspot.com</a> will still continue to work (and redirect to the new domain). For updates, be sure to check Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SamMerrin">Samuel Merrin</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.manta.com/c/mtwr92v/the-merrin-gallery-inc">The Merrin Gallery</a> on the professional networking site Manta:<br />
<blockquote>The Merrin Gallery is the world's leading gallery for ancient art from Greece, Rome, Egypt, Mesoamerica, South America, and the Near East. Recognized by international museums and collectors as being the top gallery in pre-Columbian and South American art, The Merrin Gallery is among the top few galleries in the world for antiquities.</blockquote>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-81181042663760399542010-12-12T14:34:00.026-05:002011-02-04T11:54:08.187-05:00Peter C. Marzio 1943–2010The Merrin Gallery mourns the loss of Peter C. Marzio.<br />
The MFAH director truly created 'a place for all people'.<br />
Our thoughts and prayers are with Frances Marzio.<br />
<i>—Sam Merrin</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshWYMRCcYfbtP_cGlm1MDuxhAfhaVww1A_2Dc9d_NfntIS3q8E7TPdKniYOcOxKh3I25BDukKk_4LIsvOIbej00Y7jlSn366E7ZnPqVIVZqfZEZFZWbouBjsSosd5pXSNPc8LCFo6uoi9/s1600/Museum+of+Fine+Arts%252C+Houston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshWYMRCcYfbtP_cGlm1MDuxhAfhaVww1A_2Dc9d_NfntIS3q8E7TPdKniYOcOxKh3I25BDukKk_4LIsvOIbej00Y7jlSn366E7ZnPqVIVZqfZEZFZWbouBjsSosd5pXSNPc8LCFo6uoi9/s400/Museum+of+Fine+Arts%252C+Houston.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director Peter C. Marzio. Credit: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A very good friend of Samuel Merrin, forever to be remembered:<br />
<blockquote>Peter Marzio, visionary Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, dedicated his career to making the art of world cultures accessible to all. He often recounted how art had changed his life.</blockquote><i>Read more: <a href="http://www.mfah.org/plan.asp?par1=1&par2=1&par3=1&par4=1&par5=1&par6=1&par7=&lgc=1&eid=&currentPage=">Peter Marzio – MFAH</a></i>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-4807110136227062342010-12-06T15:00:00.003-05:002011-02-03T06:07:48.391-05:00The Merrins & Confidential Art SalesOver the past five decades, Edward and Samuel Merrin have acquired, and placed major ancient art collections with leading institutions and private collectors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOl3VgqUl1X18vnGevs9MlN00ju1n_k3KcZcllMLuBAVkHaPRghPJjV5Qsi6XDGdFHy0igYZVuzZsuPhXN3cRdo3Bt9WwfGQMqgvmfDdyMMt-Li_2MqQoKnobSvDbZza4NPtX0UuAscww_/s1600/Merrin-Pre-Columbian-Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOl3VgqUl1X18vnGevs9MlN00ju1n_k3KcZcllMLuBAVkHaPRghPJjV5Qsi6XDGdFHy0igYZVuzZsuPhXN3cRdo3Bt9WwfGQMqgvmfDdyMMt-Li_2MqQoKnobSvDbZza4NPtX0UuAscww_/s200/Merrin-Pre-Columbian-Art.jpg" width="180" /></a>Especially in the last few years, <strong>Samuel Merrin</strong> has acquired old collections from major families. Working with the owners, who wanted the transactions kept confidential, he placed these valued objects of art 'quietly'. Celebrated as one of the great advantages of <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-merrin-gallery">The Merrin Gallery</a>, this has kept Sam a major player in the art world—sometimes even rivaling <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6D71331F930A15752C1A966958260">Sotheby's and Christie's</a>. Where, to purchase private collections and individual pieces, he has at times outbid both auction houses.<br />
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Sam has the standing and ability to either purchase part or entire collections, acquired many years ago, and respect the selling wishes of clients.<br />
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<i>More about: <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/p/about-sam-merrin.html">Samuel Merrin</a>, or <a href="http://www.edwardmerrin.com/2010/11/edward-merrin-and-origins-of-gallery.html">Edward Merrin & Gallery</a>.</i>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-39770105052641261982010-11-28T12:56:00.003-05:002011-08-23T20:07:57.869-04:00Video: The Merrin Gallery & Ancient ArtWhat is ancient art? The official YouTube Channel of the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MerrinGallery">Merrin Gallery</a> has recently gone public with a video featuring several objects of <strong>ancient art</strong> from Egypt, Rome and South America.<br />
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It is possible to view these antiquities on YouTube in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmP0PJRClP4&hd=1">extremely high definition</a> (up to 1080p HD), or also below:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jmP0PJRClP4?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: right;"></div>The following items of the <a href="http://merringallery.com/gallery/sold/sold.html">Merrin Gallery</a> are presented in this video:<br />
<blockquote><div style="text-align: right;"></div>Chontal Mayan Mask<br />
MESO-AMERICA (Guerrero, Mexico)<br />
ca. 300 – 100 BC<br />
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Mezcala Female Sculpture<br />
MESO-AMERICA (Guerrero, Mexico)<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmP0PJRClP4" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBK5IyiCBA7MOG942EDTaNeHGvY17amIsTnLmlmFWSnn4ucA-HqPBYU6_SkdqPWH6Fr5RO5a40a4My80wrWNOrPfXgIE38zKyQLYE2XRT1WYtbYSTbhNdglhqCtrBZkQKAqa1VfxtfRvw/s200/Merrin-Gallery-YouTube-Video.png" width="200" /></a>ca. 300 BC – 300 AD<br />
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Faience Owl Inlay<br />
ANCIENT EGYPT<br />
ca. 664 – 630 BC<br />
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Olmec Axe<br />
MESO-AMERICA (Velacruz, Mexico)<br />
ca. 1000 – 500 BC<br />
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Bronze Cat<br />
ANCIENT EGYPT<br />
ca. 600 BC<br />
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Mayan Effigy Jar<br />
MESO-AMERICA<br />
ca. 300 – 600 AD<br />
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Paracas Ceramic Vessel<br />
PRE-COLUMBIAN<br />
ca. 300 – 100 BC<br />
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Marble Ram's Head<br />
ANCIENT ROME<br />
ca. 100 BC – 100 AD</blockquote>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-50638359351791432272010-11-19T12:27:00.010-05:002011-02-04T11:07:38.686-05:00The Priests of Ancient Egypt<div style="text-align: right;"></div>In <strong><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery_09.html">ancient Egypt</a></strong>, priests filled the crucial role of performing all necessary rituals and maintaining the temples, which were believed to be the actual residences of the gods. Unlike in today’s houses of worship, there was limited outreach to the lay public, who were not allowed within.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei8A5hm4vj4mcrJsCRo4wOFZOlRUMT0L3Ot8XRJLWB1uCj9lpHIXBffPiduzyKNntpeigDPhHNapqa0D2LCAuupaSonosL2HbPmlb-OOUPbpvjnV7hvRv5wM7H28zzEYB7ATZrAYJeBU_/s1600/Ancient+Egypt+Merrin+Gallery.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei8A5hm4vj4mcrJsCRo4wOFZOlRUMT0L3Ot8XRJLWB1uCj9lpHIXBffPiduzyKNntpeigDPhHNapqa0D2LCAuupaSonosL2HbPmlb-OOUPbpvjnV7hvRv5wM7H28zzEYB7ATZrAYJeBU_/s200/Ancient+Egypt+Merrin+Gallery.png" width="200" /></a>The <strong>priesthood of each temple</strong> was comprised of a small, permanent staff of professionals, and a revolving coterie of high-ranking male and female “volunteers” called <em>saw</em> (later, <em>Phylae</em>, in Greek), who each served for a month at a time. As in any bureaucracy, there was a hierarchy to the priesthood: one could advance to the next level only after fulfilling the function of the preceding one.<br />
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<h3>What is a Wab-Priest?</h3>The novice level, <em>Wab</em> (<em>Wabet</em> for women), is defined as “Pure Priest”. The purity that they embodied was reflected in their assignment – to maintain and insure the cleanliness of the ritual area and implements and to consecrate. As <a href="http://www.hwt-hrw.com/page6.php">closely detailed here</a>:<br />
<blockquote>It appears that all members of the priesthood began with the level of <i>Wab</i> ... In ancient times the <i>Wab</i> generally were not allowed in the inner sanctuary. Rather, the training of a <i>Wab</i> or <i>Wabet</i> began with performing many of the lesser ritual functions of the temple.</blockquote>Once these duties were mastered, a priest or priestess could rise to the rank of Great <em>Wab</em> (<em>Wabet</em>) or Senior <em>Wab</em> (<em>Wabet</em>), in which capacity he or she would supervise the novices. A subdivision of the <em>Wab</em>-priest class was that called <em>Imi-Unut</em>, concerned with astronomy. The members of this group observed the stars and planets in order to calculate the correct timing of festivals and rituals.<br />
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Although at a low classification in priesthood, a <em>Wab</em> was still highly regarded in society (especially as many progressed in the hierarchy) with many notable and <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery.html">beautiful funerary figurines of ancient Egyptian <em>Wab</em>-priests</a> prominent in the historical record.<br />
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The higher levels of clergy were <em>Jemjra Hem-Neter</em> (high priest or priestess), often with additional titles; <em>Dewat-Neter</em> (Worshiper of the God/God’s Wife/Hand of the God), a rank of powerful priestesses; <em>Iunmutef</em> (Pillar of His Mother), possibly the male counterpart to the preceding rank; <em>It-Neter</em> (Father of the God), an early position of high rank and later an intermediate one, concerned with the sanctity and consecration of the inner sanctum; and <em>Hemet-Neter</em> (Servants of the God), divided into three levels and responsible for the most important rituals of the inner sanctuary. <br />
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Additionally, <em>Sem</em>-priests, itinerant practitioners of the mortuary arts, were identified by their youthful side lock hairstyle and leopard-skin cloaks, <em>Sunu</em>-priests were healers, <em>Rakhet</em> were priestesses who, although uninitiated, participated in some rituals, mainly as seers, and lastly <em>Sau</em> were workers of apotropaic spells.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-52242143854657293322010-11-05T17:45:00.013-04:002011-01-29T00:07:06.924-05:00Roundup: Ancient Egypt, Greece and Sam MerrinRenowned expert for pre-Columbian and ancient art, find out <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/p/about-sam-merrin.html">about Sam Merrin here</a>, the owner and president of The Merrin Gallery, Inc.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVVfQgTyVQMD0r6MXC7uzqjT_iFDr5YvvFrdI2Nc58JL9ghiW9w3i7wsn2PvNwc2bleGHPcbLlPpneSHzGsHP8_zcvwSKb1unmBi-vnivrriiH-T5y0HReuQguBiD2bh7gM7TtrVGqlI3/s1600/Merrin+Gallery+Roundup+Ancient+Art.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVVfQgTyVQMD0r6MXC7uzqjT_iFDr5YvvFrdI2Nc58JL9ghiW9w3i7wsn2PvNwc2bleGHPcbLlPpneSHzGsHP8_zcvwSKb1unmBi-vnivrriiH-T5y0HReuQguBiD2bh7gM7TtrVGqlI3/s400/Merrin+Gallery+Roundup+Ancient+Art.png" width="214" /></a></div><br />
Recent acquisitions of the <strong>Merrin Gallery</strong> include three fabulous pieces that have been discussed on this blog:<br />
<ol><li><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery.html">Ancient, 2,500 year old <strong>Egyptian</strong> figurine</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery_13.html">Large decorated amphora from <strong>ancient Greece</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery_09.html">Beautiful wooden mask from an <strong>Egyptian sarcophagus</strong></a></li>
</ol>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-85397159062828973562010-07-13T10:24:00.011-04:002011-01-29T00:40:06.498-05:00Large Ancient Greek Amphora with Herakles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2pOtFJdODBLcbhGdB_F2-Q8SRsZQjCfrudX7-VORLKWTLyHAtXdByEjVE2N4yyT8mEfdOwfJuF9ETKnOFHJAq2BAt1AEnNWvWhrnWbYaGzI3WUd_mj055rc1gEUU_aFq5BSMl6Rgb15m/s1600/Ancient+Greek+Amphora+-+The+Merrin+Gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2pOtFJdODBLcbhGdB_F2-Q8SRsZQjCfrudX7-VORLKWTLyHAtXdByEjVE2N4yyT8mEfdOwfJuF9ETKnOFHJAq2BAt1AEnNWvWhrnWbYaGzI3WUd_mj055rc1gEUU_aFq5BSMl6Rgb15m/s320/Ancient+Greek+Amphora+-+The+Merrin+Gallery.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>A recent acquisition of the Merrin Gallery, this <strong>ancient Greek</strong>, black-figured amphora from Athens depicts the apotheosis of Herakles (the Greek name for Hercules). Quite simply a beautiful and very large Attic amphora, dated 520-510 B.C.<br />
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On the front it is decorated with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athena">Athena</a> stepping into her quadriga and holding a spear, Herakles holding a club and bow, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus">Dionysos</a> holding vine branches, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes">Hermes</a> leading the team. On the back it depicts Apollo Kitharoidos accompanied by a feline and flanked on either side by a goddess and satyr.<br />
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For a discussion of these figures, please visit <a href="http://merringallery.com/gallery/classical/amphora.html">the Merrin Gallery's page</a> on this 2,500 year old Greek amphora.<br />
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Upon closer observation, there are inscriptions in the field, a palmette-and-lotus chain above each scene, rays above the foot, ivy on the sides of the handles, and the details have been added in red and white by the skillful and renowned <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimenes_Painter">Antimenes Painter</a>.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-19998732020274225132010-07-09T13:20:00.015-04:002011-08-09T17:00:46.695-04:00Wooden Mask from Ancient EgyptThis very beautiful face mask comes from the inner coffin of a large <strong>ancient Egyptian</strong> sarcophagus, dated at around 1305-946 B.C. The red paint was painted over a layer of gesso and linen. Recently acquired by the <strong>Merrin Gallery</strong>, the broad oval face has a delicately carved mouth indented at the corners.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN2YqeglqskntFAT1quDUH5ePfAYxnnwv9OeGx-na2oOdYMLN0IHNkKqiIJY1bP_B0uBY51ZyS-tLHEPwa-1mmU3nX4Cz-nwltudhnKyNex1yA5ahRG53pz8l_Gp3-FngRbHcn4ChUNJR/s1600/Ancient+Egyptian+Wooden+Mask+-+The+Merrin+Gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN2YqeglqskntFAT1quDUH5ePfAYxnnwv9OeGx-na2oOdYMLN0IHNkKqiIJY1bP_B0uBY51ZyS-tLHEPwa-1mmU3nX4Cz-nwltudhnKyNex1yA5ahRG53pz8l_Gp3-FngRbHcn4ChUNJR/s320/Ancient+Egyptian+Wooden+Mask+-+The+Merrin+Gallery.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The lips are outlined and almost form a smile. The nose is straight with recessed nostrils. The eyes are set wide apart and the cosmetic lines are emphasized in black, which of course was the custom of the day, but also makes this ancient work of art very powerful. The face is very sensitive and the artist who sculpted it, over 3,000 years ago, was clearly a master artist.<br />
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<strong>Samuel Merrin</strong> presents another recently acquired, <a href="http://samuel-merrin.blogspot.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery.html">interesting ancient Egyptian piece</a>. But for more information on this polychrome wooden mask, please visit the <a href="http://merringallery.com/gallery/egyptian/red_mask.html">Merrin Gallery's website</a>.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-36045483071193446482010-07-05T16:29:00.028-04:002011-08-19T12:44:35.441-04:00An Ancient Egyptian Shabti<div style="text-align: left;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xouxoEQrW9DcJt1EPbfNZEcQCcaRRv9a4Qbdc4QDZDQApNm9ChgnWrn8VGxOoLRqNbEshHsY26EXNo4As2i-h-HiLrUFy1RWVdAGf1vF91G9u6WGt-coL7VFY_otvcoZU8pVRLVkvnTV/s1600/Ancient+Egyptian+Shabti+-+Merrin+Gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xouxoEQrW9DcJt1EPbfNZEcQCcaRRv9a4Qbdc4QDZDQApNm9ChgnWrn8VGxOoLRqNbEshHsY26EXNo4As2i-h-HiLrUFy1RWVdAGf1vF91G9u6WGt-coL7VFY_otvcoZU8pVRLVkvnTV/s400/Ancient+Egyptian+Shabti+-+Merrin+Gallery.jpg" width="148" /></a>In tune with <a href="http://www.observer.com/2010/culture/hail-comeback-king?page=1">Sam Merrin's recent comment</a> in regards to Tutenkhamun's exhibition at the Met, the Merrin Gallery has acquired an ancient Egyptian piece from the 26th dynasty, dated 570-526 B.C., under the reign of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amasis_II">Amasis II</a>.<br />
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It is a <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/08/egyptology-funerary-shabtis-ancient.html">shabti (funerary figurine)</a> depicting the <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/11/priests-of-ancient-egypt.html"><strong><em>Wab</em> priest</strong></a> to the King (his titles include: Royal Chancellor of Lower Egypt, Administrator of the Palace, son of Schepen-Bastet). The figure holds the traditional hoe, pick, and seed-sack.<br />
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The head, wearing a braided beard and striated tripartite wig, has a finely modeled face whose eyebrows and cosmetic lines are illustrated through relief. The faience body is embossed with eight lines of inscription.<br />
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Such shabtis of Neferibresaneith are among the most beautiful ones of the Late Period. The piece is made entirely from <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2011/08/egyptian-amulets-protection-through.html">faience</a>, a notable ancient Egyptian material.<br />
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The tomb of Neferibresaneith was found at Saqqara, south of the funerary complex of King Userkaf, in 1929, and was fully excavated in the late 1940s. In all, 366 shabtis were found, most of them resting on the lid of the stone sarcophagus under the carbonized wood box.<br />
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More information about the ancient Egyptian shabti of Neferibresaneith can be found at the <a href="http://merringallery.com/gallery/egyptian/shabti.html">Merrin Gallery</a>.<br />
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<em>Update: Another parallel acquisition of <a href="http://www.sammerrin.com/2010/07/recent-acquisition-by-merrin-gallery_09.html">an ancient Egyptian artwork</a> by the Merrin Gallery.</em>Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3445685744313201447.post-81623537584355258472010-06-22T06:43:00.024-04:002011-11-28T11:59:35.773-05:00Samuel Merrin and the Gallery<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSXlWZCW6mBPXoQdpVw_jAEIi7L7qnbJNnAXCMBbWOhIVotXtdLHBQdAA_cltOD-C5pbnuHoJ7ZRtDJ2qsQEf8fwnOUmnVBgGDUW8cpME1DGgJynLFHZws5IVt389VhFrUOHeFpFxZ4Uu/s1600/Merrin+Gallery+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSXlWZCW6mBPXoQdpVw_jAEIi7L7qnbJNnAXCMBbWOhIVotXtdLHBQdAA_cltOD-C5pbnuHoJ7ZRtDJ2qsQEf8fwnOUmnVBgGDUW8cpME1DGgJynLFHZws5IVt389VhFrUOHeFpFxZ4Uu/s1600/Merrin+Gallery+Logo.png" /></a>To formally introduce, Samuel Merrin is the president and owner of <strong>The Merrin Gallery, Inc.</strong> Established in 1987, and while incorporated that year, it is a second-generation ancient art business founded by <a href="http://www.edwardmerrin.com/2010/11/short-history-of-edward-h-merrin-and.html">Sam's father, <strong>Edward Merrin</strong></a> in the mid-1960s. This came at a time when Ed started acquiring and selling pre-Columbian art—becoming an expert in the field.<br />
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Samuel formally took over the gallery in 1999 and has been involved with ancient art his entire life. As a child, Sam frequently visited his father’s gallery, and worked there over many summer vacations. He was fascinated by the beauty and telling history of the objects that he would handle. Inspired, Samuel received a BA from <a href="http://ase.tufts.edu/gallery/collection/collectionSelect.html">Tufts University</a>, worked at The Cloisters museum and interned at 'the Met' in NYC. <br />
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Today, <strong>Sam Merrin</strong> is asked to give appraisals for identifying major pre-Columbian art and other ancient works—in terms of authenticity and value—for museum exhibitions, auction houses, dealers and other institutions. Sam has coordinated several major exhibitions, and published accompanying catalogues of objects for sale. He has been featured in several newspapers, art magazines, and TV programs for his antiquity know-how.<br />
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Samuel's expertise has been sought after for many major collections in America and Europe, where clients of the Merrin Gallery include leading museums such as <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/">The Metropolitan Museum of Art</a> in NYC, the <a href="http://www.louvre.fr/">Louvre</a> in Paris, the <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/">British Museum</a> in London and the Middle East, as well as many others.<br />
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This blog aims to illuminate some of this work surrounding ancient art, as well as giving casual information for collectors and enthusiasts. We hope you will find it helpful and informative, and if you have any questions, then please leave a comment below, or the <a href="http://merringallery.com/">Merrin Gallery's Facebook</a> page.Samuel Merrinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12442731502345433558noreply@blogger.com0