December 6, 2007
Small sculpture, huge price
A tiny limestone figure of a lion from ancient Mesopotamia has sold at auction for $57m (£28m), almost double the previous record price for a sculpture.From the BBC. It is to be hoped that the Lioness will not now disappear from public view. At the same time, one wonders how many generations of visitors walked past the diminutive figurine when it was in Brooklyn without giving it a second glance.The 8.3cm (3.25in) tall Guennol Lioness is thought to have been carved 5,000 years ago in what is now Iraq and Iran.
The lion, whose new owner has not been identified, had been on loan to the Brooklyn Museum of Art for 59 years.
Posted by David on December 6, 2007 9:49 AM
I have(*) a replica of that. I confess I felt a small twinge of pride when I saw this news item. You go, girl!
It's really more of a lion/human hybrid, though, I should think.
-Jon
(* at least, I had it until my last move. I haven't seen it or a small Buddha head since then.)
Posted by: Jon H on December 8, 2007 7:33 PM
One wonders at the "private" artifact market; the ownership of these materials would be prohibited by law and treaty if they were acquired today. Of course the black market in these materials continues and is rarely exposed, and one suspects that museums purchase much of the black market supply. It is unfortuante to see this level of price inflation from two perspectives: the money would have been enough to support most of the significant research done today and the price will only encourage more sales of legal or purloined artifacts.
Posted by: Donald Wolberg on December 10, 2007 8:44 PM
cronaca.com