This well-preserved Sasanian royal portrait bust depicts the king emerging from a corolla of stylized leaves. Diagonally over his broad shoulders he wears a chest halter, the two straps merging below in a central ring. He is bejewelled in a double-strand beaded necklace with two central drop-shaped pendants and earrings with drop-shaped pendants. His head is symmetrically framed by clusters of curls falling on to his shoulders. He has a wavy moustache and full smooth beard, the lower end of which is cinched at the chin by a ring or ribbon. He has a flat nose, large convex lidded eyes, and a summarily rendered mouth. The elaborate crown consists of a band at the forehead with some recessed areas along its length, the ties falling along his back. Above, at the front, are two superimposed crescents, the smaller one at the bottom. This was once surmounted by a now-missing ovoid, ribbed orb. At each side are stepped crenulations, once supporting now-missing wings.

Published

A. Parrot, “Bronze Royal Sassanide,” Syria 32, fasc. 3/4, 1955, pp. 308-309, pls. XXII-XXIV.
Art Journal, The College Art Association of America, XXVI/1, 1966, p47.
C. Benbrow The Art of the Persians at the Museum of Fine Arts, Lot 53 (visible in the upper left corner)
B. Overlaet, ed., Entlang der Seidenstrasse Frühmittelalterliche Kunst zwischen Persien und China in der Abegg-Stiftung, Riggisberg, 1998, p. 249, n. 9.

Provenance

Said to be from Mazandaran, Iran.
With K. Rabenou Gallery, New York, by 1955
Thence by continuous descent to Khalil Rabenou’s daughter Yris R Solomon (1935-2021).

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