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Bear Chain-Holder
This golden bear, its paws grasping an open tube, probably served as a chain holder. The abstract pattern of openwork on the animal's sides is a distinctive feature of Sarmatian goldwork. Competing with the jewelry of Achaemenid Iran (at the southeastern edge of Sarmatian territory), which incorporated extensive inlays and enamel, the Sarmatians included the perforations and sockets that served as settings for such embellishments without actually adding the inlays. The resulting holes and punches reflect the anatomy and musculature of the bear.
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.
Walters Art Museum, 1954, by purchase.
Exhibitions
| 2010 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry. El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso. |
| 2006-2009 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 1959-1960 | Russian Art: Icons and Decorative Arts from the Origin to the Twentieth Century. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Geographies
Sarmatia (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, 1954
Location in Museum
Not on view
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.
57.1849