Frieze with ibex heads

Object Details

• Description

  Horizontal architectural fragment with ibex head frieze carved in relief. The stone is scratched, abraded and chipped in areas. The piece is finished and polished on all sides except for the back, where the stone is rough and tool marks visible. To either side of the ibex frieze are recessed panels that simulate architectural components. They consist of a larger, sunken rectangles with varying smaller rectangles carved and divided by a band of three parellel lines.

  The ibex frieze is highly stylized. The ten ibex heads are almost identical and consist of a pattern of schematic elements. The shape of the head is a long cylinder that flares at the top. This flared area includes the horns and a "v"-shaped form between them. At the base of the horns are small, raised mounds for eyes. Below the eyes, the face of the animal is elongated and not provided with any additional detailing.

  Below the ibex frieze is a narrow, thin recessed ledge. There are two, modern drill holes surrounded by penciled circles on the underside of the piece, which served for the mounting of the fragment.

• Provenance

  To 1962

  Gimpel Fils, London. [1]

  From 1962 to 1966

  Joseph H. Hirshhorn (1899-1981), purchased from Gimpel Fils, London. [2]

  From 1966 to 1986

  Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn. [3]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, transferred from Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC [4]

  Notes:

  [1] See document from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, object file, Collections Management Office.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] See note 1.

  [4] See note 1. See also object file, Collections Management Office.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Ancient Yemen: Incense, Art, and Trade (September 3, 2022 - ongoing)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Joseph H. Hirshhorn (1899-1981)

  Gimpel Fils

  Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

• Origin

  Yemen

• Credit Line

  Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn to the Smithsonian Institution

• Type

  Architectural Element

• On View

  Sackler Gallery 22b: Ancient Yemen: Incense, Art, and Trade

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s, 200s

• Name

  Gimpel Fils, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Hirshhorn, Joseph H.

• Topic

  Art, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Ibex, Yemen

• Culture

  Middle Easterners

• Object Type

  Architectural elements

• On View

  Yes