London, UK – FRIEZE MASTERS, the renowned art fair, will be hosting a special exhibition titled “The Forgotten Princess” presented by David Aaron Ltd. The exhibition will feature the first public display in the UK of the fully painted wooden polychrome inner sarcophagus of Princess Sopdet-em-haawt. This rare and remarkably preserved artefact, originating from Heracleopolis Magna, Egypt, will be on display from October 9th to 13th.
The sarcophagus, from the late 25th-Early 26th Dynasty, was first discovered in Saqqarah in 1832 and recorded by Robert Hay (1799-1863) in his field notebook, now housed in the British Museum. It then entered the private collection of Jules Xavier Saguez de Breuvery in 1834 and has since passed through various private collections, including that of Monsieur Maffre de Baugé, until it was sold at Sotheby’s in New York in 2013.
In 2014, the sarcophagus was opened for the first time in two centuries during conservation, revealing not only its stunning interior but also valuable details of its discovery and provenance in the form of a handwritten pencil note from 1834.
The face of the princess is depicted with vibrant colors and distinct styling, featuring full lips, wide-set almond-shaped eyes, and slender tapering eyebrows. The intricate decoration and well-preserved state of the coffin provide invaluable insights into the workshops of the Theban area during the Late Period of ancient Egypt, accurately dating the sarcophagus to the very end of the 25th or the beginning of the 26th Dynasty.
Salomon Aaron, Director of David Aaron Ltd, shared his excitement about the exhibition, stating, “It is a unique privilege to represent the Coffin of Princess Sopdet-en-haawt. It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime object.”
This sarcophagus will be the centerpiece of David Aaron’s display at FRIEZE Masters, offering visitors a rare opportunity to engage closely with a piece of ancient history that has been meticulously preserved and studied.
David Aaron Ltd, established in 1910 in Iran, rose to prominence in the 1920s when Soleiman Haroon (1890-1976) opened a showroom in Alexandria, Egypt. Now managed by the third and fourth generations of the Aaron family, the gallery specializes in Classical Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Near Eastern, and Islamic works of art, as well as important items of natural history.
The gallery annually exhibits at highly vetted international art fairs and has played an instrumental role in helping major museums and private collections acquire and research important antiquities. Notable sales have been made to institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Museum, and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Frieze Masters is a unique art fair that brings together thousands of years of art in a contemporary context. The fair offers a bridge between historical art and contemporary practice, providing a distinctive space for art enthusiasts and collectors to explore and appreciate art history in dialogue with the present.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the Coffin of Princess Sopdet-en-haawt at FRIEZE Masters from October 9th to 13th. For more information, visit the official website of David Aaron Ltd or FRIEZE Masters.
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