BRONZE AGE MEGALITHIC STELE
CORSICA, LATE 3RD MILLENNIUM B.C.
Estimate: £15,000 - £20,000
Auction: 13 March 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
carved granite, rough hewn, of oblong form, the facial features reduced to the essence of form, raised on a bespoke mount
Dimensions
67cm high
Provenance
European art market from at least 1970.
Dr. Wolfgang Meyn, Soest, Germany, acquired from the above in 1972.
Mr. Rob Fens, Netherlands, acquired from the above.
Spanish art market, 2023
ALR: S00235754, with IADAA Certificate, this item has been checked against the Interpol database
Footnote
The present work dates to the Corsican Bronze Age and is particularly reminiscent of the megalithic stele found at the site of Filitosa in the south of the island. These sculptures are among the earliest known human-like statues in Europe. The carvings often include facial features whilst also reducing complex forms their essential, geometric essence; oval shapes, elongated figures, and soft curves. It has been suggested that these carvings represent important individuals, and that they were raised as memorials to honour these figures, preserving their memory and status within the community.
Their organic forms create a profound conceptual bridge to the Primitivist Movement, which sought inspiration from the raw, elemental qualities of ancient and non-Western art. Artists like Jean Arp, with works such as S'élevant, echoed the smooth, simplified shapes and anthropomorphic abstraction seen in the Filitosa steles.