Hicham Aboutaam Online

Plato

This 26 cm high marble bust of a Greek man is on display at Phoenix Ancient Art and available for purchase. Due to several aspects of the rendition of the bust, it certainly cannot be dated before the second half of the second century AD. However, because of the way the beard and mustache are rendered, it has the qualities of sculpture from the Greek Classical period.

This discrepancy can be explained by the simply surmising that this marble bust is a copy of and older, original version. Therefore it is easy to believe that this extraordinary bust is a portrait of one of the great, Greek philosophers, perhaps Plato (427-347 BCE.)

Exploring the ancient world through the beauty of ancient art can be quite rewarding, according to Hicham and Ali Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art. In this example we can learn a bit about the culture of the Romans. We know that the Romans liked to display portraits of the great philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. What better place can there be to display these portraits but in their libraries where the written works of these men were represented. An interesting idea about the ancient Roman world.

Learn from Hicham Aboutaam of Phoenix Ancient Art about the joy and meaning of investing in ancient art. Mr. Aboutaam explains why someone might want to invest in ancient art, and how easy, and not always overly expensive diversifying one’s portfolio in this manner can be. Hicham Aboutaam assures viewers that investing in antiquities can be an excellent choice for those looking for unique and meaningful ways to diversify their investments.

Cycladic Goddess

At the end of last October, 2009, the Old City of Geneva celebrated its newly revived appearance with an art show featuring 16 exhibitors amidst the regular permanent galleries such as Bang and Olufsen (who happened to have celebrated their tenth anniversary), and Michael Castellino, who showed an unknown local Geneva artist by the name of Philippe Jaccard.

The focus of the fair was on Verdaine Street, at Phoenix Ancient Art. Especially prominent were the sculptures of Goddesses, so lovingly exhibited by proprietors Ali and Hicham Aboutaam. The Goddesses are primarily of Mediterranean origin, some approaching the astounding age of 8,000 years. The vast majority of artworks are of the finest quality. A visit to Phoenix Ancient Art can be as enjoyable as a visit to an art museum, with the added bonus of no fee extracted upon entry.

In some cases the ancient art on show at Phoenix is even more marvelous than what is found in many museums. After all, what public institution has anything like the incredible marble statuette from the Cyclades which somehow, by a miracle it must be, is completely intact?

Phoenix Ancient Art, along with the large gathering of other art dealers, were pleased with the turnout and results of the 21st International Fine Art and Antique Dealers fair which was held this past October at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

Roman Oinochoe

Not sure what to expect from collectors this year due to the economic turn down, Anna Haughton, one of the organizers of the fair commented that sales were better this year than they have been in the most recent past.
According to Ms. Haughton, “Some dealers have said they’ve seen clients they haven’t seen in two or three years,” and she added that they detected a “sea change in the mood when dealers were clearly apprehensive” about sales

Especially pleased with the sales at the fair, Ali and Hicham Aboutaam of the New York and Geneva branches of Phoenix Ancient Art, described sales at their booth as “feverish.” The Aboutaams accepted six different bids for a unique Roman figure of a female dating back to the first century. They had strong sales for other pieces, including a head-vase in the shape of an oinochoe (wine jug) dating to 450 BCE, which sold for $300,000 and for $120,000 Phoenix Ancient Art sold an early Roman bust.

Sumerian Mesopotamian Head

We have all heard that the birthplace of western civilization was in ancient Mesopotamia.  At Phoenix Ancient Art you can explore the beauty and culture that was that civilization at the dawn of history, as much as 8,000 years ago, in the area of the world where modern day Iraq now exists.

Phoenix Ancient Art has for sale many astoundingly beautiful ancient artworks from the “land between the rivers,” the Tigris and Euphrates, which is what Mesopotamia means.

Take for example the Sumerian limestone head of an orant. The head itself is fragmentary; the left half of the face shows roundedness suggestive of chubbiness, almond shaped eye-sockets in which the inlaid eyes are missing. The face has arched eyebrows with a short nose with wide nostrils and thin lips. Upon the lips is a restrained smile. The head is adorned with wavy hair and a thin hair band across the top.
This sculpture dates from the Early Dynastic II-III period of about 2800-2334 B.C.E.

Visiting the galleries of Phoenix Ancient Art is like walking through time back to the origins of the Western Civilization of today. Many cultures have contributed to the development of our civilization as we know it, and all can be glimpsed through the beautiful antiquities on display at Phoenix.

Let the Aboutaam brothers guide you through thousands of years of history and thousands of miles of geography to discover the sources of today’s world of art, religion and crafts. Travel from the Mediterranean Basin, including the Iberian Peninsula eastward to Egypt, the Near East, Central Europe, Northern Europe, the Balkans, Eurasia, Southwest Asia, and the Steppes all the way to the Indus River Valley in the East, where Pakistan is today and where the first major Indian civilization flourished.

Hicham and Ali Aboutaam will also bring you back to the almost unimaginable past; beginning with objects from as far back as the 6th Millennium B.C. and traveling forward to the 14th century A.D.  Come visit and be astounded by the beauty and majesty of such artifacts. Perhaps you will fall in love and make one of these fine collectibles your own. In any case, you will be glad that you came.

Collecting art means different things to different people. For some, it is merely a means to decorate their surroundings, so that the world around them is beautiful and interesting. To others it might be to show-off their knowledge of fine-art and their excellent taste.

Appreciating and collecting ancient art has an added, deeper dimension, which Ali and Hicham Aboutaam never cease to explain. Although ancient art is certainly about beauty, craftsmanship, design and style, it is also about heritage, history, connection, identification, posterity, legacies, civilizations and much more.

There is something awesome about owning an object that has come down to us over eons of time;  and at Phoenix Ancient Art they really do mean us; because although someone might be the technical owner of an antiquity, he or she is really just the caretaker, or custodian of that relic from the distant past. The owner is really a trusted guardian of that object not just for the contemporary world but for generations to come.

The Geneva branch of Phoenix Ancient Art will be opening a new exhibit from October 29 and to extend until November 25, 2009. Ali and Hicham Aboutaam cordially invite you to visit and enjoy:

“DÉESES”

Divinités Féminines des Civilisations Méditerranéennes

Roughly translated as Goddesses: Feminine Deities of Mediterranean Civilisations.

“The Geneva Gallery is located at 6, rue Verdaine. The Aboutaams hope to see you there.

Late Roman Period

Hicham Aboutaam will be representing Phoenix Ancient Art at Phoenix’s booth at the International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show this autumn. Let your imagination run wild as you explore the amazing variety of ancient art and antiquities which will be on display at the Park Avenue Armory until Thursday, October 22nd.

According to Ken Johnson, writing for the New York Times:

“A bigger-than-life ancient Roman sculpture of a muscular man’s torso
smoothly carved from green basalt anchors the Phoenix Ancient Art
booth.”

Among the other beautiful, rare and strange artworks you will be privileged to see are Egyptian sculptures from the ancient world, antique armor and weaponry, masks from Africa, rugs, jewelry, glassware, clocks, modern paintings as well as old, plus much, much more.

Organized by the well-know Brits Brian and Anna Haughton, there will be over 60 dealers from around the world displaying their wares, which are guaranteed to wow you as you peruse the booths displaying the goods of these high-end antique and ancient art dealers.  Be sure to stop by Phoenix Ancient Art and say hi to Hicham Aboutaam. It will be his pleasure to show you what he brought to the show.