Funerary Likeness

Limestone

Palmyra

250-273 CE

The face of a youngish man, captured in stone, gazes out from the fragmentary remains of a Palmyrene funeral stele. His features, sensitively rendered, reveal the mastery of the sculptor's art. The man's hair, a rhythm of spiral curls, frame his face, with similar locks forming his full, luxuriant beard and moustache. It is the distinctive style of a type III Palmyrene portrait, dating to the third century CE.

• Provenance, Naim Attallah CBE 1931 - 2021

Naim Ibrahim Attallah , a Palestinian-British entrepreneur and writer, made a profound impact in business and literature. Born in 1931 in British Mandate Palestine, he was a driving force in publishing, owning Quartet Books that he revitalized in 1976.

His literary passion extended to co-founding London's The Women's Press in 1977 and backing esteemed publications like Literary Review and The Oldie. The Guardian’s 2000 portrayal described him as a "legendary adorer of beautiful women".