Handle in the Form of a Panther
(Roman Empire )
This sinuous animal formed the handle of a lid to a vessel, perhaps a situla (pail) or cista (cylindrical container). The head is that of a panther, while the curve of the body has become so pronounced that it resembles a weasel. The Etruscan love of animals inspired their craftsmen to adorn many simple household objects with decorative animal imagery.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Madame E. Warneck Collection Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 1905, no. 257 (?); Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1905, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
Italy (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 2 3/4 x W: 3 7/8 x D: 1 1/4 in. (7 x 9.9 x 3.2 cm);
mount H: 1 x W: 4 5/16 x D: 2 in. (2.5 x 11 x 5.1 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1905
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.1373