This magnificent alabaster bust of a man is
closely related to the famed series of sculptures
commissioned by Gudea of Lagash. After the
collapse of the Akkadian empire, southern
Mesopotamia was divided into a series of
independent city-states ruled by local kings. The
city-state of Lagash prospered under the
enlightened rule of Gudea and his son Ur-
Ningrisu. Gudea set about restoring the temples
of Lagash and commissioned a series of
sculpture of the gods and himself to decorate
these renovated structures. It is through
inscriptions found on these sculptures as well as
through contemporary texts, composed mostly
of Sumerian hymns and prayers, that we know
about Gudea. While the art of the Akkadian
period can be characterized by a sense of
dynamic realism, the works from this Neo-
Sumerian culture that survive are filled with a
sense of piety and restraint, perhaps relating to
their nature as religious icons. This bust depicts
a man wearing the distinctive Persian-lamb fur
cap that is traditionally associated with the ensi,
or governor. His large, almond-shaped eyes
seem to peer out at us from the stone, filling us
with a sense of serenity and inner calm. Today,
Gudea is one of the most famed rulers of Ancient
Mesopotamia. His memory has endured
throughout the ages primarily though works of
art such as this stone bust.
we can be sure that it was at least influenced by
this remarkable group of sculptures that are
some of the most emblematic works of art from
the ancient world.
------ Forwarded Message
From: jerald starr
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:22:53 -0700 (PDT)
To: Barakat Gallery
Subject: Re: x.0211
Dear Mr. Barakat,
Thank you for responding to my price request for x.0211, "Neo-Sumerian Alabaster Bust"
I was hoping you had seriously under-valued the item, and obviously I cannot afford it. Nonetheless,
it is worth every penny you ask for it. On my website, sumerianshakespeare.com, I have identified
the statue as Gudea, and not just "a priest" (see "The face of Gudea "). The facial features are an
exact match to Gudea. It cannot be anyone else. I go on to say that the statue is one of the most
important statues in the world since it is one of the first realistic portraits in all of history. It shows us
the true face of Gudea, unlike the other statues, which are stylized and idealized (also see:
"The face of Ur-Namma "). Might I suggest you go ahead and call it Gudea in your liner notes?
(Let me know if you change the liner notes so I can adjust my webpage accordingly.) I would also
like to suggest you have some sort of "public unveiling", a press conference, for instance, because
the statue is a major "archaeological" discovery.
In any case, thank you for your time and attention. And thank you for bringing this statue to the
"light of day".
Sincerely,
Jerald Starr
From: Barakat Gallery
To: jerald starr
Sent: Thu, September 22, 2011 12:56:11 PM
Subject: Re: x.2011
- (X.0211)
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