Creative Commons License
Bull's Head Protoma
(South Arabia)
The flat layer of plaster on the back of this object suggests that it was originally attached to a stela. Bulls were associated with renewal throughout much of South Arabia, and the motif appears frequently on stelae found in cemeteries. The circles of hair around the horns and the triangular patch of hair on the forehead are characteristic attributes of South Arabian bull figures.
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.
Sotheby's, London, between 1963 and 1971; Giraud and Carolyn Foster, Baltimore between 1963 and 1971, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2007, by gift.
Exhibitions
| 2008 | Faces of Ancient Arabia: The Giraud and Carolyn Foster Collection of South Arabian Art. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 3/30/2008 | Treatment | cleaned |
Geographies
Arabian Peninsula (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 5 3/16 x W: 4 1/4 x D: 2 1/2 in. (13.2 x 10.8 x 6.4 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Giraud and Carolyn Foster, 2007
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.
21.40