A LARGE GRAY SCHIST COSMETICS PALETTE DEPICTING... Lot n° 329

A LARGE GRAY SCHIST COSMETICS PALETTE DEPICTING THE DRUNKEN HERCULES, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA Indo-Parthian Kingdom, 1st century. Carved from a thick section of schist, the rounded sides tapering to the flat base. The top carved in relief with a central frame above two divided sections for mixing cosmetics with a floral base. The central frame depicts the naked and drunken Hercules, in a festive crowd, being supported by two female attendants. Provenance: From a private European collection since the 1970s. Collection of a London gentlemen, acquired from the above in Belgium in the early 2000s. Private collection in Luxembourg, acquired in the UK trade. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with extensive wear. Signs of weathering and erosion, soil encrustations likely from a prolong period of burial, small structural cracks, nicks, chips, and small losses. Drilled to the base for mounting. Weight: 8.5 kg Dimensions: Diameter 31.7 cm With a fitted wood stand. Cosmetics palettes (also called toilet trays) are round trays commonly found in the areas of Bactria and Gandhara, which often depict mythological scenes. They first appeared during the Indo-Greek period and became a widespread commodity of the Indo-Parthian period. However, they quickly disappeared from the material culture of the region at the beginning of the Kushan period. Many have been found at the archaeological site of Sirkap, in today's Pakistan. Scholars have suggested that these trays were used to mix cosmetic products due to chemical analyses of substances found within the tray. The chemical components suggest they were commonly used to mix colored cosmetic powders akin to blush. These stone palettes provide an interesting instance of Hellenistic art in the northwestern Indian subcontinent. They are disconnected from the Buddhist narrative to which works are usually associated in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara. Thus few of the palettes contain representations of the Buddha. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related schist cosmetics tray depicting the drunken Hercules with embracing two women, 15.6 cm in diameter, dated to the 1st century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1987.142.40. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s London, 7 October 2011, lot 309 Price: GBP 4,375 or approx. EUR 8,600 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Green Schist Tray, Gandhara 2nd – 3rd Century AD Expert remark: Note the significantly smaller diameter (17.8 cm).