Vase
- Description
- Bottle with repousse relief of four nude female figures (two musicians and two dancers) each with a child. Hammered, chased, and gilded.
- Inscriptions
- Inscription in Middle Persian states owner's name as "Panaveh" and weight as 37 ster, 3 drahm.
- Label
- This vase is one of a group of Sasanian silver and gilt vessels decorated with figures of dancing females, who often hold or play musical instruments (see S1987.117 and S1987.118). Some of the figures are given halos and hairstyles with topknots, which distinguish them as royal or divine. An inscription on the rim of this vase records the weight of the vessel and the name of its owner; this information was probably used in ancient times to register the vessel for taxation purposes. Closely related examples are today in the Louvre, Paris and in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
- Provenance
- To 1966
- Unknown collector [1]
- To 1966
- Paul and Marguerite Mallon, Rome, Paris, and Zurich, agent for an unknown collector [2]
- From 1966
- Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from agent, Paul and Marguerite Mallon, Rome, Paris, and Zurich [3]
- Notes:
- [1] Paul and Marguerite Mallon acted as an agent for an unknown collector. See correspondences between Marguerite Mallon and the Director of the Freer Gallery of Art, John Pope, copies in the object file. See also Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office.
- [2] See note 1.
- [3] See note 1.
- Collection
- Freer Gallery of Art Collection
- Exhibition History
- Feast Your Eyes: A Taste for Luxury in Ancient Iran (February 4, 2012 - ongoing)
- Ancient Art of the Near East (November 21, 2009 to December 1, 2011)
- Luxury Arts of the Silk Route Empires (May 9, 1993 to January 28, 2007)
- Ancient Near Eastern Metalware (December 18, 1984 to February 24, 1986)
- Pre-Islamic Metalwork from the Near East (April 15, 1983 to April 4, 1984)
- Art of the Near East (August 21, 1977 to December 14, 1979)
- Near Eastern Art (June 15, 1973 to May 7, 1975)
- 2500 Years of Persian Art—Paintings, Metalwork (February 10, 1972 to June 15, 1973)
- Near Eastern Art—Paintings, Metalwork (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)
- Previous custodian or owner
- Marguerite Mallon (died 1977)
- Data Source
- Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
- Date
- 6th-7th century
- Period
- Sasanian period
- Credit Line
- Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
- Medium
- Silver and gilt; hammered, repousse, chased, gilded
- Dimensions
- H x Diam: 19.4 × 11.2 cm (7 5/8 × 4 7/16 in)
- Type
- Vessel
