Trio of Bone Artifacts
Upper Paleolithic (approx. 50,000-10,000 years ago), France
No reserve
Session begins in
17:21:05
•
July 14, 02:00 PM GMT
Estimate
5,000 - 8,000 USD
Bid
1,100 USD
Lot Details
Description
Trio of Bone Artifacts — Abstract Sculpture From the Upper Paleolithic
Upper Paleolithic (approx. 50,000-10,000 years ago)
France
Sizes of bones are as follows:
- Leftmost bone: 6¼ x ½ x ⅜ inches (15.9 x 1.3 x 1 cm), 6⅝ inches (16.8 cm) on stand.
- Center bone: 8¼ x 1 x ⅜ inches (21 x 2.5 x 1 cm), 8¾ inches (22.2 cm) on stand.
- Rightmost bone: 7½ x ¾ x ½ inches (19.1 x 1.9 x 1.3 cm), 8 inches (20.3 cm) on stand.
A group of three Upper Paleolithic bone artifacts, each of elongated form and carved with simple incised details. The surfaces are worn and smooth, with a consistent pale patina.
Formerly in the collection of Francois Bigot (1950-2009)
With CBC 231410 from the French Ministry of Culture permitting export, and EU license no. 2022DMF0929
Dating to the Upper Paleolithic, these carved bone implements belong to a long tradition of worked organic material that sits alongside the better known stone industries of the period. While bone was widely used for tools, it also provided a surface for incision and simple decoration.
The present group is notable for the presence of stylized markings that suggest an early interest in representing the human form. Each piece displays incised features that can be read as eyes or facial features, reduced to their most basic elements. These are not fully realized figures, but rather minimal interventions that evoke faces through a few carefully placed lines.
Objects of this type occupy an ambiguous position between tool and image. Whether functional, symbolic, or something in between, they reflect a growing capacity to recognize and abstract human features. In contrast to the more developed carvings of the later Upper Paleolithic, such as the well-known Venus figures, these works are striking for their restraint and abstraction.
Collected in France and formerly in the collection of François Bigot, the group offers a focused and evocative glimpse into an early stage of artistic representation.
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