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Figure of a Standing Woman
(South Arabia)
This stela has no parallel. A woman is depicted frontally; her feet are pointing to her right, with both the tops and the sides visible. The gesture of the hands on the hips is unusual in South Arabian art; it may represent dancing. Adorned with bracelets, anklets, and a broad collar, the woman appears nude: there is a suggestion of short sleeves on the arms but no other evidence of clothing. The figure's unusual proportions suggest that she might be a dwarf; dwarfs were commonly employed as dancers and participants in rituals in ancient Egypt, and they might have played a similar role in ancient South Arabia.
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.
Sale, Sotheby's, London, October 19, 1970, lot 97; Giraud and Carolyn Foster, Baltimore, October 19, 1970, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5/27/2008 | Treatment | cleaned |
Geographies
Arabian Peninsula (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 12 3/8 x W: 6 7/8 x D: 2 3/16 in. (31.5 x 17.5 x 5.5 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.
21.50