An Egyptian Red Granite Head of Ramesses II, reign of Ramesses II, 1279-1213 B.C.

probably from a sphinx, the king wearing beard straps and the striped nemes-headcloth with fragmentary uraeus, his round face with full lips and large prominent eyes with long contoured eyebrows and cosmetic lines.

René Haase, 10, rue St. Georges, Paris, 9th arr., late 1940s
North American private collection, acquired in 1949, probably from the above, and brought to Halifax on the Empress of Scotland, August 13th, 1951

"Exposition Égypte-France," Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Pavillon de Marsan, 107, rue de Rivoli, Paris, October-November 1949

Exposition Égypte-France. Octobre-Novembre 1949, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Pavillon de Marsan, 107, rue de Rivoli - Paris, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 1949, no. 47

Damaged as shown in photographs. Most of the back of the head is missing, but a lot of rough stone remains there. There is an old red-painted number on the headcloth just above the forehead. There is no trace of the surface of the proper right ear, whereas the outline of the proper left ear is partially present. Despite damage, the character of the face is clear.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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A gallery photograph of the "Égypte-France" exhibition in the archives of the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs (Bibliothèque des arts décoratifs) shows the present head displayed on a pedestal next to a cabinet filled with smaller sculptures. René Haase worked with the Maurice Bing art gallery in Paris for thirty-five years before taking over their Oriental Art business. He donated several works of art to the Louvre, the Musée Cernuschi, the Bibliothèque Nationale, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition to the present head, three other Egyptian objects belonging to his collection were on loan to the 1949 Paris show: a Late Period limestone bust of a woman, a hand-shaped wood cosmetic spoon, and a small polychrome limestone relief fragment.