Fragment of a Wall Relief: Head of a Winged Protective Spirit
883-859 BCE
Description
Representing the head of a winged genie, or protective spirit, this relief fragment was part of the wall decoration of the throne room of King Ashurnasirpal II's Northwest Palace at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu) in Iraq. Placed to the right of the throne base, the genie - wearing the horned cap of a deity - was probably performing a ritual. It was one of several representations of genies intended to ensure the protection of this important room. Across the genie's body ran Ashurnasirpal II's "standard inscription," giving the titles and the achievements of the Assyrian king. Hunt and battle scenes carved on the long walls of the room conveyed a similar message. The appearance of these reliefs was originally enhanced by paint. This particular fragment was presented by Sir Austen Henry Layard, the excavator of Nimrud, to his cousin, Lady Charlotte Guest, in 1848.
Dimensions
65.5 cm h x 50.5 cm w x 10 cm d (25 13/16 x 19 7/8 x 3 15/16 in.)
Provenance
Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), Iraq. Excavated, (between 1845-1847) [1]; by Sir Austen Henry Layard, (by 1847-1848), gift; to Lady Charlotte Guest Schreiber [2], Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, (1848-1895), by inheritance; to Captain Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, Ninth Earl of Bessborough [3], (by 1895-1938), sold; through [Sotheby's, London, December 20, 1938, lot 119]; to [Spink and Son, Ltd, London], (1938-1940), sold; to Fogg Art Museum, 1940. [1] With negotiated permission from the Ottoman government to excavate and export finds, Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817–1894) organized explorations of the Northwest Palace at Nimrud (Iraq) in two campaigns, 1845–1847 and 1849–1851. This relief fragment was likely excavated in May or June 1846, when Layard's operation explored the Northwest Palace's throne room (Room B). [2] John Malcolm Russell (1997), From Nineveh to New York, p. 53. Lady Charlotte Guest Schreiber (1812-1895) was Layard's cousin, patron, and (eventually) mother-in-law. [3] Captain Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, Ninth Earl of Bessborough, (1880-1956) was the grandson of Lady Charlotte Guest Schreiber.
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