Gilded Ibis Head
Gilded Ibis Head
Egypt
Late Period, 26th-30th Dynasty, circa 713-332 B.C.,
Gilded Wood
L: 56 cm
PoR
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A gilded wooden head of an ibis. The bird’s head starts with its long thin neck and extends into the large pointed beak, forming a near-horizontal silhouette. The ridges down the beak and the circular eyes are deeply incised.
The ibis was sacred to the Egyptian god Thoth, god of wisdom and writing, who was often depicted with the head of an ibis. Representations of the ibis in copper alloy are some of the most numerous sacred animal statuettes, alongside the cat, falcon, and Apis bull. The prevalence of the ibis during the first millennium B.C., and the appeal of animal cult in general, can also be seen in the thousands of surviving ibis mummies, which were offered in animal necropolises throughout Egypt.
Previously in the Private Collection of Ernst (1903-1990) and Marthe Kofler-Truniger (1918-1999), Lucerne.
With Merrin Gallery, New York, by at least April 1998, accompanied by a dated letter.
Private Collection, Kentucky, U.S.A., 1998-2023, acquired from the above, accompanied by letters and purchase invoice dated 13 May 1998.
ALR: S00251490, with IADAA Certificate, this item has been checked against the Interpol database.
Ernst Kofler-Truniger (1903-1990) was a Swiss merchant, art collector, and art dealer. He went to business school in Lucerne, followed by a commercial apprenticeship. He entered the family business and ran the Kofler fashion house, which was founded in 1852. Together with his wife, Marthe Kofler-Truniger (1918-1999), he compiled an extensive art collection. In 1968, he sold the family business and began selling art full-time.
The Egyptian portion of the collection was a later addition to the collection, with the first works purchased from the Mutiaux collection in Paris. The Kofler-Trunigers expanded their collection at the sale of Collection Comtesse de Béhague in Paris, before travelling to Egypt themselves. Here they devoted themselves to studying the culture, and making helpful contacts, such as Louis Keimer-Kairo, who advised on their acquisitions. The couple assembled a collection covering every era of Egyptian art, selecting works based on their artistic qualities, demonstration of technical skill, and ability to capture the spirit of their time. Their collection of Egyptian works of art, small finds, and glass was first shown to the public at an exhibition at the Kunsthaus Zurich from 6 June – 1 September 1964, and the Egyptian works then travelled to the Egyptian Collection of the Bavarian State in Munich. They were again shown at Kunsthaus Zurich in 1961 for the ‘5000 Years of Egyptian Art’ exhibition.
