SculptureIranian9th century BCE

Goat Finial

9th century BCE

Description

Representations of rampant, confronted goats or ibexes are frequent among the so-called finials from Iron Age Luristan in western Iran. The function of the objects of which these finials formed part remains enigmatic, but likely was largely symbolic. A vertical support would have been inserted through the two rings that join the animal’s front and back legs (here, the diameter of the opening at the base is 0.8 cm). It has been suggested that this could have been a small branch, creating the overall image of animals flanking a tree so common in the art of the ancient Middle East. The goats have relatively short horns with a single protuberance each, long pointed ears, large eyes, beards, and stubby tails. Their slender bodies are barely articulated, and their hind legs are not separated. It has been proposed that these simplified but fairly naturalistically rendered animals are of an earlier date than the highly stylized creatures of finals such as 1931.5. The smooth, rounded forms suggest that the different elements of the finial were modeled in wax, joined, and then invested in a clay mold and cast in bronze. The patina is dark brown with patches of darker and lighter green and a few spots of red corrosion underneath; light brown accretions cover part of the surface.

Classification

Sculpture

Technique

Cast, lost-wax process

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Iranian

Period

Iron Age

Century

9th century BCE

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics

Dimensions

9.3 × 4.8 × 1.5 cm (3 11/16 × 1 7/8 × 9/16 in.)

Provenance

[Charles D. Kelekian, New York (by 1952-1982)], by descent; to [Kelekian Associates, New York (1982-1992)], by descent; to Nanette Rodney Kelekian, New York (1992-2021), bequest; to the Harvard Art Museums. NOTE: "Kelekian Associates" was formed at the death of Charles D. Kelekian by Nanette Rodney Kelekian and her mother Beatrice Kelekian. Upon Beatrice Kelekian’s death in 1992, ownership passed to Nanette Rodney Kelekian.