Exhibition: Phoenix Ancient Art to Show Early Faience

The Sacramento Bee

A spectacular exhibition of ancient art works of faience from the private collection of the Aboutaam family will be on view at Phoenix Ancient Art in New York (47 East 66th Street) from December 6th-30th, 2011. The exhibition will then be traveling to BRAFA, (57th Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair, Tour & Taxis), January 21st –29th 2012. Followed by a wonderful display at Phoenix Ancient Art in Geneva (6, rue Verdaine, Geneva), Spring 2012. This private collection was originally formed by Sleiman Aboutaam and continued by his sons, Ali and Hicham.

Fans of "William," the well-loved Egyptian faience hippopotamus at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will be pleased to see that there are three other examples of blue-green hippopotami in the show that are among the stars of the exhibition. Two date from the Middle Kingdom (dynasty 11-13); one is from the Late Period (6th-4th century B.C.), which is known as the Persian Period because it was truly international with similar works appearing from Egypt to Iran and the Levant. The hippopotamus, which looks so benign and lovable, was, in fact, a force of nature to be reckoned with, both in this life and in the next.