Joseph Lindon Smith, The Royal Scribe Idu, Oil on Canvas, circa 1925-1930

Estimate

5,000 - 8,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Joseph Lindon Smith, The Royal Scribe Idu, Oil on Canvas
32 5/8 by 23 1/2 in. 82.6 by 59.6 cm.

depicting the royal scribe Idu emerging from the false door of his tomb with hands extended to receive offerings.

Provenance

Peter Pelletier Fine Art, Inc., Peterborough, New Hampshire

Literature

Joseph Lindon Smith: Paintings from Egypt, catalogue of the exhibition at the Department of Egyptology, Brown University, October 8th - November 21st, 1998, Providence, Rhode Island, 1988, pl. 15.

Catalogue Note

For photographs of the monument see W.K. Simpson, The Mastabas of Qar and Idu, G 7101 and 7102 (Giza Mastabas, vol. II), Boston, 1976, pls. 6b and 11a, and Mummies and Magic, frontispiece.

Joseph Lindon Smith (1863-1950) was trained at the Boston Museum School as a draughtsman and later painted monuments he saw throughout the world. He was particularly interested in Egypt and was a friend of many of the most renowned Egyptologists of the early 20th Century. Present at the opening of Tomb 55 and the Tomb of Yuya and Tuya, in later years he became an honorary director of the Boston Giza Expedition and honorary member of the Egyptian Department at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His autobiography, Tombs, Temples and Ancient Art describes the discoveries at which he was present and contains many entertaining anecdotes of the archaeologists he knew in Egypt.