14 SHADES OF GRAY

Sculpture in cypress wood, dated to between start of 3rd C and middle of the 4th C BC. Was discovered in a vault of the Arg-el-Ghazoauni Necropolis. It's an unique example of Phoenician-Punic archeology. For decorating the cover of a coffin, the sculptor has reproduced, in high relief, the image of a female deity, who is without doubt, Ashtat, protector of the dead. She is dressed in a tunic with a high neckline and a loose-fitting coat or veil which,
starting from the shoulders, covers all of her back, in an elegant sweep.
It is draped around the hip to descend and delicately envelope the remainder of the body. The fabric of the tunic allows one to discern, underneath the clothes, of the shape of her breasts. The veil also adopts the shape of her figure and underlines the delicacy of the pleats. It clings to her legs using the wet technique and contributes to an underlining of the shapeliness and reinforces the feminine charm. The veil seems to cover all the body with the exception of her head and her
relatively high cut neckline. Only the left arm is visible, sculptured separately, it had to be brought
back and is attached to the statue with the help of a metal fixing. The hand, on which the fingers are very finely sculpted, seems to have been placed in a manner that returns to the chest.
As it is presented today, the sarcophagus doesn't allow one to be precise about the state of the feet so prevents us from knowing whether it was an upright statue (gisant) or if the Lady of Kerkouane was lying down. The head is much better preserved. The Lady has a hairband fitted with a wave round the middle. But we do not know if it is connected in a bun (chignon) behind, on the nape of the neck. On the other hand, we must say that the hairstyle (coiffure) of the Lady of
Kerkouane may include a cylindrical tiara.
(Thanks to Jon Swan, Folkert Van Galen and Peter Martin for translation of French description)

Silk gown from France, 1775-1785.

The back of this formal sacque gown is made of three full widths of silk stitched together and draped into pleats. The vertical stripes embroidered with delicate floral patterns is typical of the last years of the Ancien Regime.