BOULDER, COLO.- A remarkable Egyptian wooden sarcophagus mask, dating to the Late Dynastic Period (26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 712–332 BCE), will be among the highlights at
Artemis Fine Arts’ upcoming
Pre-Columbian | Ancient | Ethnographic sale opening on September 18, 2025. The auction, presented in Louisville, Colorado, offers an opportunity for collectors and institutions to acquire a work of extraordinary craftsmanship and spiritual resonance.
A Guardian of Eternity
This stately mask once adorned the upper section of an anthropoid coffin, its purpose extending far beyond aesthetic refinement. In ancient Egyptian belief, funerary masks served as vital intermediaries between the world of the living and the afterlife. By presenting an idealized visage of the deceased, they allowed the soul — or ba — to recognize its earthly body and safely return to it, ensuring continuity of identity through eternity.
Carved with commanding presence, the mask stands nearly 20 inches high and more than 15 inches wide, its scale alone signaling the elevated status of the individual for whom it was created. The face, modeled separately and joined with exceptional precision to the wig and chest, reflects a technique occasionally used to heighten detail or restore earlier damage. The result is a portrait of profound serenity: almond-shaped eyes gaze outward, full lips curve softly downward, and finely defined brows and nose confer quiet dignity.
Symbolism in Form and Style
The mask’s long tripartite wig flows over the shoulders in thick, sculpted panels — a visual motif closely associated with divine figures and high-ranking mortuary portraiture. Its form reinforces the sense of timeless permanence, confronting the viewer with the perfected image of one prepared to stand before the gods.
Such details affirm the mask’s ritual importance. Far from decorative, it embodied a complex theological role, serving as both protector and emblem of sanctity. The refinement of its carving and its monumental size suggest commission for a noble, priest, or senior official during an era when Egypt, despite political turbulence, looked steadfastly to ancestral traditions for cultural continuity.
Historical Context
The Late Dynastic Period was marked by both internal strife and foreign domination, yet artisans consistently reaffirmed Egypt’s enduring spiritual values. Masks like this one were not individualized likenesses, but archetypal renderings meant to embody the eternal rather than the temporal. Their calm expressions reflected not personal identity but divine constancy.
Comparable works reside in major institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (cf. M.80.196.13). The Artemis example offers private collectors and museums alike the chance to acquire a rare artifact that bridges artistry, theology, and cultural history.
Provenance and Legality
The mask arrives on the market with a distinguished and transparent provenance. It was previously held in a private Boca Raton, Florida collection, acquired from the Baidun Collection in Jerusalem in 2021, with earlier records in France, including Pierre Bergé & Associés, Paris, in 2011. Its documented history ensures compliance with legal and ethical acquisition standards — an increasingly vital concern for collectors of ancient art.
Auction Details
The Artemis Fine Arts sale will open online and in person on September 18, 2025, at 8:00 AM GMT-6. Alongside this Egyptian masterpiece, the auction will feature Pre-Columbian artifacts, Native American works, tribal art, fossils, and treasures from Greece, Rome, the Near East, and Asia. With in-house shipping options and international reach, Artemis aims to connect connoisseurs worldwide with rare objects of cultural heritage.
This Egyptian sarcophagus mask, solemn yet watchful, stands as a testament to a civilization’s unyielding devotion to eternity — and promises to be one of the auction’s defining lots.
