Circa 1st Millennium BC A hand-carved alabaster head of a man delineated in high relief, perhaps from a funerary stele, presenting a quixotic visageprised of gazing, wide-open, almond-shaped eyes, a dramatically arched browline, an elegantly curved nose, and closed lips that suggest a subtle, endearing overbite. The stylised expression as well as the elongated face and neck of this ancient work call to mind the modernist faces of Amadeo Modigliani's highly stylised, almost mask-like portraits. During the first millennium BC, this part of the ancient world saw several different kingdoms; Qataban, Saba (Sheba), and Himyar, emerge that had built their wealth upon desert trade and in particular frankincense and myrrh. Size: L:205mm (with stand) / W:110mm; 2.9kg Provenance: Private London collection ( B.A); formerly acquired in the 1970s from John Lees collection.