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Identification and Creation

Object Number
2023.501.50
Title
Master of Animals Finial (on a Modern Tube)
Other Titles
Former Title: FINIAL: HERO OR GOD WRESTLING TWO STYLIZED ANIMALS (on modern tube)
Classification
Sculpture
Work Type
sculpture
Date
10th-8th century BCE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Asia, Luristan (Iran)
Find Spot: Middle East, Iran, Western Iran
Period
Iron Age
Culture
Iranian
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/293530

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Bronze
Technique
Cast, lost-wax process
Dimensions
27.3 x 6.4 x 2.1 cm (10 3/4 x 2 1/2 x 13/16 in.)
Inner diam. tube opening top: 0.6 cm (1/4 in.)
Inner diam. tube opening bottom: 0.7 cm (1/4 in.)
Technical Details

Chemical Composition: ICP-MS/AAA data from sample, Bronze:
Point 1 (neck): Cu, 86.2; Sn, 13.36; Pb, 0.17; Zn, 0.005; Fe, 0.05; Ni, 0.03; Ag, 0.03; Sb, less than 0.05; As, 0.13; Bi, less than 0.025; Co, 0.023; Au, less than 0.01; Cd, less than 0.001

Point 2 (chest): Cu, 91.27; Sn, 8.27; Pb, 0.12; Zn, 0.14; Fe, 0.03; Ni, 0.03; Ag, 0.02; Sb, less than 0.05; As, 0.13; Bi, less than 0.025; Co, less than 0.01; Au, less than 0.01; Cd, less than 0.001

J. Riederer

Chemical Composition: XRF data from Tracer
Alloy: Bronze
Alloying Elements: copper, tin
Other Elements: lead, zinc, iron, nickel, silver, antimony, arsenic

K. Eremin, January 2014

Technical Observations: The patina is grayish green and features areas of bright green and red. Cloudy white areas may be the result of the application of wax or other restoration work. Several vertical elements are broken and repaired with resins. The central pin is lost.

As with the other Luristan finials, the irregular and fluid character of the design elements indicates direct work in the wax model. The wax would have been worked over a central cylindrical core, providing an open area for the tube or pin used to secure the finial to a support (see 2005.78.A-C).

All of the “Master of Animals” finials are heavier and have thicker walls than the finials that depict only animals. The thickness of this finial’s walls varies from 2 to 4 mm. The incised decorations on the surface appear similar to those of the other “Master of Animals” finials, and it is likely that cold working was also used on this one, although the surface condition makes this difficult to determine.


Henry Lie (submitted 2012)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Kurt H. Weil, Montclair, NJ (1927-1992), by descent; to Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt, New York (1992-2023), gift; to the Harvard Art Museums.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Professor Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt
Accession Year
2023
Object Number
2023.501.50
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Subjects and Contexts

  • Ancient Bronzes

Related Objects

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu