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The inscription on the large, four-sided stele from which this fragment comes chronicles the genealogy of the Assyrian kings and the account of King Shalmaneser III's defeat of King Haza'ilu of Damascus. While Shalmaneser's name does not survive, the accompanying royal titles confirm the identification. Haza'ilu is Hazael, king of Syria, often mentioned in Old Testament book of 2 Kings as the adversary of Israel.
Neo-Assyrian
9 x 12 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. (22.9 x 31.8 x 41.9 cm)
medium: black stone
culture: Neo-Assyrian
reign: Shalmaneser III (858-824 BC)
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
The style and quality of this manuscript's decoration is typical of deluxe Parisian books made for aristocratic or royal patrons. Most of the book's decoration appears to be the work of the Master of the Boqueteaux, an artist active at the court of King Charles V (died 1380). His style was apparently shared by a number of book illuminators working in and around Paris. It is very possible that the <em>Gotha Missal</em> belonged to Charles V, but is not provable because the manuscript has no royal portraits and lacks a colophon. Given the book's magnificent decoration, however, it would seem that it was produced for a Valois prince, if not for the king himself. The manuscript receives its name from the German dukes of Gotha, its later owners.
France, Paris
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum; blind-tooled leather binding
Codex: 27.1 x 19.5 cm (10 11/16 x 7 11/16 in.)
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Pissarro, son of the French Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro, moved to England in 1890. By 1894 he and his wife, Esther Bensusan Pissarro, had bought a printing press and established the Eragny Press. Influenced by William Morris, they were involved in every step of the production process: designing, cutting the woodblocks, setting type, and printing. The first book published by Ergany Press, The Queen of the Fishes, is based on an old fairy tale in which a peasant boy and girl escape the hardships of their lives by fantasizing that they have been turned into a giant oak and a splendid fish, respectively.
England, 19th century
woodcut printed in gray
Book page: 19.2 x 13.3 cm (7 9/16 x 5 1/4 in.)
Gift of Henry H. Hawley for the fiftieth anniversary of The Print Club of Cleveland
This small-scale panel painting depicts the Virgin and Child flanked by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel who guard the mother and child with swords and shelter them with their wings. Below are the Ethiopian Saint Iyalot, her son Saint Qirqos (Saint Cyriacus) who holds the Virgin Mary’s wrist and converses with her, Saint Gebre Krestos, and Saint Ab Nob the Martyr. In an unusual detail, both Mary and Iyalot hold hand crosses, similar to those used by Ethiopian Orthodox clerics (see
Christian Highland Ethiopia
H: 10 7/16 x W: 7 3/8 in. (26.5 x 18.8 cm)
medium: tempera on wood
culture: Christian Highland Ethiopia
Walters Art Museum, 2002, by purchase.
This manuscript was illuminated by a circle of at least five highly organized manuscript painters active in the Flemish cities of Ghent and Bruges. The principal illuminator was Alexander Bening, who painted the majority of the book's miniatures. Manuscripts produced by this circle of artists are renowned for the decoration of their borders, which typically feature a rich variety of realistically-painted flowers, birds, and butterflies. This prayer book, called a book of hours, was intended not for a cleric, but for the private devotions of a lay person-in this case, Isabella the Catholic, Queen of Spain (1451-1504). Isabella's coat of arms embellishes the book's frontispiece. It is unlikely that the book was commissioned by the Queen herself; rather, she probably received it as a diplomatic gift from someone courting her patronage, perhaps Cardinal Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros. A Franciscan friar, Jimenez was dependent upon Isabella for his advancement, first to the post of Queen's confessor in 1492, and then to Archbishop of Toledo in 1495.
Flanders, Ghent and Bruges, late 15th century
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum
Codex: 22.5 x 15.2 cm (8 7/8 x 6 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
This manuscript was illuminated by a circle of at least five highly organized manuscript painters active in the Flemish cities of Ghent and Bruges. The principal illuminator was Alexander Bening, who painted the majority of the book's miniatures. Manuscripts produced by this circle of artists are renowned for the decoration of their borders, which typically feature a rich variety of realistically-painted flowers, birds, and butterflies. This prayer book, called a book of hours, was intended not for a cleric, but for the private devotions of a lay person-in this case, Isabella the Catholic, Queen of Spain (1451-1504). Isabella's coat of arms embellishes the book's frontispiece. It is unlikely that the book was commissioned by the Queen herself; rather, she probably received it as a diplomatic gift from someone courting her patronage, perhaps Cardinal Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros. A Franciscan friar, Jimenez was dependent upon Isabella for his advancement, first to the post of Queen's confessor in 1492, and then to Archbishop of Toledo in 1495.
Flanders, Ghent and Bruges, late 15th century
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum
Codex: 22.5 x 15.2 cm (8 7/8 x 6 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
Beautiful and Attractive Rose Pink Waterboony Deluxe with Exciting Black Trim and Vibrant Rose Pink! Made of 100% Cotton and water absorbent open cell neoprene / polyester materials for durability and great water absorbency. A wide 3 inch brim for added shade and protection from the sun. A stong chin strap for security and mesh grommets for superior air flow and ventilation.
I realllllly like the simplicity of the numbers. i was thinking of doing this for a 1/2 and 1/2 coffee creamer
Japan, possibly Edo period (1615-1868)
Average: 6.1 x 6.7 cm (2 3/8 x 2 5/8 in.)
Gift of D. Z. Norton
This fairly standard bronze icon portrays the crucified Christ with attendant angels, a dove representing the Holy Spirit, and God the Father as the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9-10). Below Christ's feet is the skull of Adam, beside him are the lance and the reed with a sponge, and around the long horizontal bar is a short hymn in praise of the Cross.
Russian
H: 4 1/2 x W: 2 3/4 in. (11.5 x 7 cm)
medium: bronze
culture: Russian
dynasty: House of Romanov
Walters Art Museum, 1985, by gift.
Venus, the Roman goddess of love, was married to the blacksmith-god Vulcan. This istoriato (story telling) plate shows him at left forging an arrow for Venus’s son Cupid, god of love, who accompanies his mother next to the tree at right. Although he is portrayed as a child, Cupid's power is great, since he targets the hearts of both humans and gods. Using gold-tipped arrows he makes them fall madly in love; however his lead-tipped ones cause them to reject all romantic advances.
This is a fine example of Xanto Avelli’s ability to compose the scene in graceful accommodation with the shape of the plate. The figures occupy the foreground, while the architecture at left and the island in the center create a deep sense of space. Xanto briefly identifies the subject with the word "Vulcan" on the reverse.
For more on Francesco Xanto Avelli, see no. 48.1373 and for more works by him click on his name in the "creator" field.
For more information on maiolica, see no. 48.1336
For more information on istoriato ware, see no. 48.1487
H: 1 1/16 x Diam: 10 7/16 in. (2.7 x 26.5 cm)
medium: earthenware with tin glaze (maiolica)
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
The halberd was a staff weapon favored by European infantries (foot soldiers) of the 1400s and 1500s for its versatility and deadly effect. The word halberd comes from the German words Halm (staff) and Barte (axe). The halberd is, in fact, an axe that served multiple functions: the axe blade was used for hacking, the spike for thrusting, and the beak for piercing plate armor or for pulling a knight from his saddle. The halberd was used by shock troops (those who lead an attack) and by Swiss and German mercenaries. After about 1550, the halberd gradually became less functional. Its large blade provided space for coats of arms and insignia. By the late 1500s, the parade halberd had become a ceremonial weapon for palace guards.
Germany, 16th century
steel, pierced quatrefoil; rectangular wood haft with planed corners
Overall: 182.3 cm (71 3/4 in.); Blade: 24.2 cm (9 1/2 in.)
Did you know...
A halberd requires the use of both hands and so a halberdier cannot carry a shield for protection.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Cats were the sacred animal of Bastet, Egyptian goddess of fire, cats, and protector of the home. Sitting upright in a pose characteristic of these feline figurines, this bronze cat adorned with an embossed pendant and gold earring was made as a votive offering to be deposited with the deceased.
Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE), Dynasty 26 or later
bronze and gold
Overall: 9.2 x 2.3 x 5.5 cm (3 5/8 x 7/8 x 2 3/16 in.); without tang: 7.5 cm (2 15/16 in.)
Bequest of John L. Severance
This seal, depicting a human-headed griffin attacking a horse, has the detailed modeling of musculature characteristic of Middle Assyrian period art. The use of an empty background highlights the drama of the contest and marks a turning point in Assyrian art later expressed on a large scale in carved palace reliefs. The cuneiform inscription records the owner's name: "seal of Silliya."
Cylinder seals are cylindrical objects carved in reverse (intaglio) in order to leave raised impressions when rolled into clay. Seals were generally used to mark ownership, and they could act as official identifiers, like a signature, for individuals and institutions. A seal’s owner rolled impressions in wet clay to secure property such as baskets, letters, jars, and even rooms and buildings. This clay sealing prevented tampering because it had to be broken in order to access a safeguarded item. Cylinder seals were often made of durable material, usually stone, and most were drilled lengthwise so they could be strung and worn. A seal’s material and the images inscribed on the seal itself could be protective. The artistry and design might be appreciated and considered decorative as well. Cylinder seals were produced in the Near East beginning in the fourth millennium BCE and date to every period through the end of the first millennium BCE.
Assyrian
H: 1 9/16 x Diam: 9/16 in. (3.9 x 1.5 cm)
medium: violet and white stone
culture: Assyrian
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.