$57 Million Paid For Sculpture

[Old Moparz]

Damn that's a lot of money for a dust collecting, knickknack.   

I understand the signifigance of this thing, but to pay that kind of money for ANYTHING, is just a gross display of wealth that is beyond any kind of reason to me. Yeah, I know the argument that I might not think that way if I had that kind of cash, but it's still friggen' stupid. 
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Story Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071206/ts_afp/entertainmentartusantiquityauction

Mesopotamian sculpture sells for record 57 million dollars
NEW YORK (AFP) - A tiny and extremely rare 5,000-year-old white limestone sculpture from ancient Mesopotamia sold for 57.2 million dollars in New York on Wednesday, smashing records for both sculpture and antiquities.

The carved Guennol Lioness, measuring just over eight centimeters (3 1/4 inches) tall, was described by Sotheby's auction house as one of the last known masterworks from the dawn of civilization remaining in private hands.

"It was an honor for us to handle The Guennol Lioness, one of the greatest works of art of all time," Richard Keresey and Florent Heintz, the experts in charge of the sale, said in a joint statement.

"Before the sale, a great connoisseur of art commented to us that he always regarded the figure as the 'finest sculpture on earth' and it would appear that the market agreed with him," they said.

Five different bidders, three on the telephone and two in the room, competed for the sculpture. The successful buyer was identified only as an English buyer who wished to remain anonymous.

The sale easily broke the previous record for the highest price for a sculpture at auction, which had stood at 29.1 million dollars and was set just last month at Sotheby's in New York by Picasso's "Tete de Femme (Dora Maar)."

It also beat the 28.6 million dollars paid for "Artemis and the Stag," a 2,000-year-old bronze figure which sold also at Sotheby's in New York in June and held the record for the most expensive antiquity to be sold at auction.

Described by Sotheby's as diminutive in size, but monumental in conception, The Guennol Lioness was created around 5,000 years ago -- around the same time as the first known use of the wheel -- in the region of ancient Mesopotamia.

The piece was acquired by private collector Alastair Bradley Martin in 1948 and has been on display in New York's Brooklyn Museum of Art ever since.

Keresey described the work before the sale as "one of the oldest, rarest and most beautiful works of art from the ancient world."

"This storied figure, in its brilliant combination of an animal form and human pose, has captured the imagination of academics and the public since it was acquired by the Martins in the late 1940s," he added.

The figure depicts a standing lioness looking over her left shoulder, her paws clenched in front of her muscular chest.

Experts have speculated that the figure may have played a role in some ancient belief system or mythology in Mesopotamia, which today lies in parts of modern day Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran.

The proceeds of the auction are to go to a charitable trust formed by the Martin Family.

[PocketThunder]

I remember watching a Discovery Channel show called "It takes a thief".  They had this Jewish guy who lived by himself in New York, and he was selected to see if a thief could break into his home and steal his stuff.  He had tons of art work all over his house and he said he usually spends about $50,000 a year on artwork!   $50,000!  Most people don't even make that in a year..

Here it is  http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/ittakesathief/episode/episode.html

Episode 37: Big Apple Break-In
A wealthy Manhattan man fills his historic brownstone with hundreds of thousands of dollars in artwork and furniture; he relies only on his neighbors and street traffic to keep him safe from burglary. Matt and Jon attempt to show him the error of his ways.
premiere: Nov. 7, 2005

[skip68]

   I'd go to  $54.5 million but that's it. 

[Brock Samson]

"3 1/4 inches Tall"         


























     

[bull]

Yea, but look at the thing. I'd say it's cheap at twice the price.

[Charger_Fan]

That thing's just ugly.