A wonderful example of Hellenistic Realism, this bronze sculpture depicts a street dancer who appears to be suffering from some type of deformity or illness. We see the artist taking extreme care to capture the details.. We can see clearly the energetic movements of the dancer. It is difficult to gauge the age of the dancer, but from the figure’s extreme thinness and facial features, we surmise that we are observing a man who is getting on in years.
Ali and Hicham Aboutaam invite you to examine more examples from their catalogue, “Exotics of the Classical World.”
Not only can you purchase antiquities from Phoenix Ancient Art, but there are beautiful catalogs available which discuss interesting subjects which many of the antiquities available at Phoenix are examples of.
For example, Ali and Hicham Aboutaam published a catalog entitled “Exotics of the Classical World.”
Within this catalog 40 separate pieces are discussed in depth in English, with a full French translation of each description available in an appendix at the back.
The premise of this collection is a counterpoint to what has come to be accepted as the theme of Greco-Roman antiquities and the neo-classical movement of the 19th century. In opposition to the traditional notion of the ‘Greek-Roman’ ideal of beauty, idealism, elegance and nobility, the “Exotics” collection point to a different standard, that of the unusual, strange, picturesque, and even ugly, at times.
Delve into the world of “Exotics” with the Aboutaam brothers, and get a taste of something different.
Guennol Lioness
“Compared to contemporary art” says Hicham Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art, “antiquities are terribly undervalued.” He made this remark after the sale at Sotheby’s in New York of a three-inch-tall ancient limestone sculpture of a lioness for $57.2 million in December 2007. The statue, known as the Guennol Lioness, is 5,000 years old and originates from Mesopotamia, where it was discovered not far from Baghdad in the early part of the 20th century by archeologist Sir Leonard Woolley. The winning price almost doubled the previous high that had been paid for a sculpture, and was three times the pre-sale estimate of the piece’s value.
Ali Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art offers objects from a huge range of time periods and geographical locations. One of the more astounding artifacts on offer is a Scythian bamboo bow and quiver. The bamboo bow is shaped into a triple curve, the center curve for hand placement, and the top and bottom curve to increase the action of the bowstring. This remarkably preserved set dates from the 3rd to 1st century BCE. Its state of preservation is remarkable. Also incredible is the fact that this set has remained together through the ages.
Scythian Bamboo Weapon
The term Scythian refers to a group of many nomadic tribes who spoke the Iranian language and roamed from the Danube river plains to the Central Asian steppes and eastward to Siberia. The Scythians were warriors, and even Scythian women fought in battles.
This artifact is quite a find, not just for its inherent beauty but for its historical value.
Attic Amphora Vase
In an interview with Hicham Aboutaam, he talks about a beautiful and rare stamnos, a Greek vessel that was used in ancient times to carry liquids. According to Aboutaam this stamnos, which was probably used to store wine, was made near the end of the 6th century, B.C.E.
Discussing the various types of storage containers used in ancient Greece, Hicham explains that water would be stored in a hydria, wine in an amphora, and olive oil in a small, hanging alabastron. This stamnos was one of the rarest shapes of Greek vessels.
This particular vase is by an artist known as the “Michigan” opainter. The body is painted with a scene of a chariot race and shows two dogs along with the horses, The shoulders of the vase depict a banquet, in which three women and three bearded men are shown reclining.
Hicham Aboutaam will be representing Phoenix Ancient Art at the gallery’s booth at the International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show this autumn Among the stars of his booth is what the New York Times describes as “a bigger-than-life ancient Roman sculpture of a muscular man’s torso smoothly carved from green basalt anchors the Phoenix Ancient Art booth.”
Other beautiful, rare and unique artworks on view include ancient Egyptian sculptures, antique armor and weaponry jewelry, glassware, paintings and much, much more. When visiting the show, be sure to stop by Phoenix Ancient Art and say hi to Hicham Aboutaam. It will be his pleasure to show you his treasures.
Park Avenue Armory
Roman Bronze Bust
Hicham and Ali Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art are pleased to announce that they will be displaying many of their antiquities at the upcoming International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show. Phoenix will be located in the prominent position of E2, and will feature art works from all over the ancient world, including Rome, Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and Islam.
There will be a full color catalogue including the works displayed at the show, which is part of Phoenix’s ongoing series of publications of a scholarly nature as well cataloging the fairs they have participated in.
The most prominent feature at the fair on display at the Phoenix booth will be a bigger-than-life ancient Roman sculpture carved from green basalt skillfully rendering a muscular, heroic man’s torso.
Ali Aboutaam and his brother, Hicham, have always been fascinated by antiquities. The highly successful owners of major antiquities galleries, they exhibit at some of the finest antique shows in the world. The Aboutaam brothers were born into the world of art and antiquities, and today they continue to acquire masterpieces and artworks for their personal collections, alongside their professional careers in the art business.
The Aboutaam brothers have both studied archaelogy and art history. On completing their studies, they joined their father’s business –Phoenix Ancient Art–the art dealership, the galleries and the exhibitions–to great successes. Phoenix Ancient Art and the Aboutaam family name have come to represent quality art dealership and top level antiquities that are admired the world over.
Posted in Aboutaam, Ali Aboutaam, Antiquities
|
Tagged Aboutaam, Ali Aboutaam, Antiquities, art, art galleries, exhibits, Galleries, Hicham Aboutaam, Phoenic Ancient Art
The following is taken from the introduction to the catalogue which was published for the exhibition, “Exotics of the Ancient World”,.
“In the 19th century the neo-classical movement together with the renewed taste for antiquities reinforced the image of ancient idealism. Beauty was filled with elegance and nobility.
“Because of this focus on the idealization of beauty, an entire aspect of antiquity was forgotten. The dimension of the ancient world which was marginalized and considered negligible included representations of the strange, unusual and picturesque. These works of art were viewed as trivial and even repulsive.
“This collection hopes to suggest a bit of a change of scenery. We believe there is a parallel counterpart in the literature of the times. We at Phoenix Ancient Art believe it is a response to a type of weariness or boredom, perhaps caused by an excess of dignity and grandeur.”
Ali and Hicham Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art presented a beautiful catalog displaying unusual antiquities from a class with neglected, forgotten themes.
The following is the introduction to the catalog.
The works of Greco-Roman antiquity are familiar to our vision of the world. We are well acquainted with the themes of reason, moderation and truth, these values being the cornerstones of western civilization as we know it. In addition, the essence of the art is naturalistic: based on objective observations of the reality surrounding us. However the art, as art, goes a step further, responding to the reality with a desire to surpass reality, making it truer, more beautiful, and more perfect than the reality observed. There is systematic idealization, often depicted in the artistic representation of the human form, which is seen as the highest standard of beauty. This is why it is fundamental to the Greek notion of beauty that the gods are represented through the human form, distinguished only through an exceptional sense of majesty.
