Roundup: Past Few Merrin Months

Consolidating fall '10 and winter '10/11 at the Samuel Merrin & Gallery blog.

Notably includes a look at Samuel Merrin's professional work – through matters concerning clients of The Merrin Gallery. As well as Samuel's personal life – through an exploration of artistic favorites, and NGO-involvement. (Note that all articles have been updated since their original publication.)

RECENTLY ON THE SAMUEL MERRIN & GALLERY BLOG:

Samuel Merrin's Favorite Artwork

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 Samuel Merrin & Gallery shortly, but the article has been updated with a list of publications and detailed specifications of Samuel's vase.

Samuel Merrin & Confidentiality

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.

The Priests of Ancient Egypt

In ancient Egypt, 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.

The priesthood of each temple was comprised of a small, permanent staff of professionals, and a revolving coterie of high-ranking male and female “volunteers” called saw (later, Phylae, 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.

An Ancient Egyptian Shabti

In tune with Sam Merrin's recent comment 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 Amasis II.

It is a shabti (funerary figurine) depicting the Wab priest 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.

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.

Such shabtis of Neferibresaneith are among the most beautiful ones of the Late Period. The piece is made entirely from faience, a notable ancient Egyptian material.

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.

More information about the ancient Egyptian shabti of Neferibresaneith can be found at the Merrin Gallery.

Update: Another parallel acquisition of an ancient Egyptian artwork by the Merrin Gallery.