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Ancient Art Department
Ancient Art Council
Legion of Honor
100 34th Avenue, Lincoln Park
San Francisco, CA 94121
Statuette of Seneb
Egyptian, Middle Kingdom, mid-Dynasty 12, ca. 1897–1839 BC
Small wooden statues representing the deceased often were placed in tombs during the period of the late Old Kingdom and into the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2400–1800 BC) in Egypt. The highly skilled artist who carved the statue of the 12th Dynasty official named Seneb did such fine work that the richly striated wood grain matches every curve of the figure’s arms, legs, chest, and head. Painted details are kept to a minimum, enhancing the figure’s directness and power; nevertheless, finger- and toenails were not overlooked. The plinth is plum-colored like others found in Middle Egypt. It is inscribed in black ink telling us that Seneb received royal favor. Stylistically, there is no doubt that Seneb’s statuette was carved after the powerful Mentuhotep II (ca. 2055–2004 BC) reunified Egypt following years of political instability. It is fine work done under 12th Dynasty kings (likely Senwosret II or Senwosret III). Little wonder then that Seneb’s figure embodies so much strength and, despite its rigid pose, projects a self-assured élan.
Painted wood (probably sycamore)
H 10 7/8 in. (27.6 cm)
The Estate of Virginia B. Landensohn; Ms. Lisa Sardegna and Mr. David A. Carrillo; Martin I. and Margaret J. Zankel and Herbert and Jan West; The Chickering Endowment; Friends of Ian White; The Michael Taylor Trust; Volunteer Council Acquisition Fund; Diane B. Wilsey; Charlotte and Rolf Scherman; Ancient Art Council; Dr. and Mrs. Bernard von Bothmer; Teresa Keller Tilden and Douglas Tilden; Sheila Wishek, in memory of Cathleen A. Keller; Ancient Art Trust Fund; Richard Benefield and John Kunowski; Gretchen Turner; Colin B. Bailey and Alan P. Wintermute; Elizabeth D. Moyer, PhD, and Michael C. Powanda, PhD; Rajnikant and Helen Desai; Eunice Baek and Thomas Garrity; Tim and Peggy Brown; Phoebe Cowles; Mrs. George Hopper Fitch; Maurice W. Gregg; Anthony and Susan Hardy; Skot Jonz; Peter and Lindsay Joost; Arielle Kozloff, in honor of Renée Dreyfus; Millicent and Megan Rutherford, John Klopacz and Richard Wilson, and Donald and Louise Heyneman, in memory of John Rutherford; Françoise and Andrew Skurman; and additional donors
2014.45
This was the first time the Ancient Art Council resorted to crowd sourcing to acquire an art object. Over 180 contributors came to our rescue—Ancient Art Council members and others who donated generously. We are and will always remain grateful to this group, who helped us keep our 4,000+-year-old Egyptian in San Francisco.
$100,000+
Estate of Virginia B. Landensohn
Ms. Lisa Sardegna and Mr. David A. Carrillo
$50,000–$99,999
Chickering Endowment
Michael Taylor Trust
Friends of Ian White
Martin I. and Margaret J. Zankel and Herbert and Jan West
$10,000–$49,999
Ancient Art Council
Charlotte and Rolf Scherman
Volunteer Council Acquisition Fund
Dr. and Mrs. Bernard von Bothmer
Diane B. Wilsey
$5,000–$9,999
Teresa Keller Tilden and Douglas Tilden
Sheila Wishek, in memory of Cathleen A. Keller
$1,000–$4,999
Anonymous
Ancient Art Trust Fund
Eunice Baek and Thomas Garrity
Colin B. Bailey and Alan P. Wintermute
Richard Benefield and John Kunowski
Tim and Peggy Brown
Phoebe Cowles
Rajnikant and Helen Desai
Mrs. George Hopper Fitch
Maurice W. Gregg
Anthony and Susan Hardy
Skot Jonz
Peter and Lindsay Joost
Arielle Kozloff, in honor of Renée Dreyfus
Elizabeth D. Moyer, PhD, and Michael C. Powanda, PhD
Françoise and Andrew Skurman
Gretchen Turner
$25–$999
Matilda Alperton
Pierre and Patricia Bikai
Joseph and Maureen Blumenthal
California Classical Association-North
Elisabeth Cornu
Patricia Covert
Marshall and Joan Foster
Jeffrey and Jessica Gaynor
Richard and Julia Geist
Margaret Gordon
Mickey Griffin
Ellen Harden
Donald and Louise Heyneman, in memory of John Rutherford
Alexander and Betty Hollett
Andrea Husby
Eloise Jonas
Paula Katz
Jeffery Kessell
John Klopacz and Richard Wilson, in memory of John Rutherford
Mary Lannin
George and Angela Lebedeff
Frank and Julie Mann
Peter and Helene Marchant
Phil and Elaine Pasquini
Patricia Perry and Stephen McPhee
Louise Renne
Megan Rutherford, in memory of John Rutherford
Millicent Rutherford, in memory of John Rutherford
Xenia Sanders
Pauline Schwartz
Katharine Snyder and Michael Howard
Abraham D. and Marian Scheuer Sofaer
Martha M. Steen
David Stronach
Steven and Susan Sullivan
Norma Tomlinson
Bruce and Fran Walker
Klaus and Ellen Werner
Harold and Moreland Whitbeck
Dolores Whiteside and Harry Hicks
Betty Winkelman
Darlis Wood and Andrew Stewart
Donors through Zahi Hawass lecture ticket sales:
Mark Applebaum
Heide Betz
Dennis Bradley
Timothy Brown
Lucy Buchanan
A. J. Cave
Phoebe Cowles
Marc Cruciger
Amy de Rouvray
Sandra Deckinger
Sigrid Dedo
Michael Eisler
Judy Ellman
Richard Euren
George Freeborn
Barbara A. Gardner
Jeannie Goldman
Gillian Hood
Mary Jie
Giselle Jurkanin
Lee Karney
Paula Katz
Charles Kemppe
Dawn Landes
Tim Lane
Mary Lannin
Jane Lurie
Holland Lynch
Mary Marchetti
Pam Martori
Myron Marx
Lore McGovern
Diana McNutt
Cynthia Metcalfe
Merry Molvik
Karen Moore
Michael Powanda
Margaret Rinkevich
Jonathan Seagle
Tanya Shepley
Matthew Simis
Marian Sofaer
Krista Swami
Stephen Tannas
Douglas Tilden
Andrea Topper
Felicia Tudal
Howard Zumsteg
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Egyptian Collection
