Adult trail

DISCOVER THE

MASTERPIECES OF

THE ROYAL MUSEUMS

OF ART AND HISTORY

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Relief with the head of a winged genius

Northwest Palace, Nimrud, IraqNeo-Assyrian period, reign of Ashurnasirpal II, 883–859 BCEGypsum; 64 x 61 cmInv. O.1934

Assyrian reliefs convey the taste for luxury and pomp of the Mesopotamian kings who reigned over the entire Near East in the early 1st millennium BCE. This relief, featuring a winged genius, a fragment of a panel at least 2.3 metres tall, and the ‘standard inscription’ carved over it, were part of a ritual scene frequently reproduced in the palace of Ashurnasirpal II at Nimrud. The genius wears a crown with horns, a traditional attribute of a protective spirit who must defend the king against demons and come to his aid to defeat his enemies. All the details are carefully rendered in conformity with Assyrian canon: the divine headpiece, the curly long hair and beard, the magnificent ear pendant and the fringed garment. The high relief creates interplays of light which distort the genius, who becomes an imposing guardian of the sovereign’s new residence. — E.G.

Kantharos, potted and painted by Douris

Athens, GreeceClassical period, about 490–480 BCEPottery; H. 18.2 cmInv. A.718

On this drinking vessel, the hero Heracles (recognizable by his lion skin and club) and his companion Telamon are in combat with Amazons – fierce women warriors. The fighting is intense, and the heroes are threatened from all sides. The dramatic composition accentuates their daring exploit. To either side of Heracles’ head is a double signature: ‘Douris painted’ and ‘Douris made’. A great master of Attic red-figure painting, the artist demonstrates his skill with detail and his mastery of the refined effects of dilute glaze, used mainly on the lion skin, to emphasize the figure of Heracles. Found in Etruria, in the town of Cerveteri, this elegant vessel of simple form – with its double signature, unique in the work of Douris – is a rare object of exceptional character. The unusual shape, associated with Heracles, and the decoration suggest that the vase may have been dedicated in a sanctuary of the hero. — N.M.

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Satyr teasing a panther

Rome, ItalyAbout 100–150 CE(after a 2nd-cent. BCE original)Marble; H. 137 cmInv. A.1143

After the Romans conquered the Greek world in the 2nd century BCE, they became fascinated with Hellenic art and culture. The paintings, sculptures, gold and silver dishes, intaglios and jewellery that were brought back with the spoils of victory and displayed in triumphal processions celebrated in Rome aroused unprecedented passion. Since not everyone could acquire an original Greek object, a thriving copying industry soon came into existence. From the 1st century BCE on, many workshops made copies of large Greek statues. This one, based on a creation of the Hellenistic period, was beautifully sculpted three hundred years later. Although recomposed from dozens of fragments, it is entirely antique. The satyr, with pointed ears and a goat’s tail, belongs to the retinue of the wine god Bacchus. He is holding a hunting stick (lagobolon) and playing with a panther. — C.E.

Drinking horn

Brussels (?), BelgiumLate 6th–early 7th cent. CEBlown glass, glass paste applications; 20.3 x 37 cmInv. B005829-001

In the early Middle Ages, people were buried with various grave goods. This drinking horn, acquired by the museum in 2010, is probably from the cemetery of Anderlecht, where it was unearthed during early excavations. Its previous owner discovered it as a child in the attic of his grandfather, a Brussels notary. A greenish yellow, heightened with a net pattern and three rings, all bluish green, it is distinctive for its large size. Related to similar net-decorated horns from Lombardy, it could nonetheless be a local product. Intact ancient or medieval glass drinking horns are quite rare. — A.D.P.

where it was unearthed during early excavations. Its previous owner discovered it as a child in the attic of his grandfather, a Brussels notary. A greenish yellow, heightened with a net pattern and three rings, all bluish green, it is distinctive for its large size. Related to similar net-decorated horns from Lombardy, it could nonetheless be a local product. Intact ancient or medieval glass drinking horns are quite rare. —

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Portable altar

Abbey of Stavelot, Liège, Belgium1160–1170Wood, bronze, enamel, brown varnish, rock crystal; 10 x 27.5 x 17 cmInv. 1590

The portable altar of Stavelot is an unquestionable masterpiece of medieval enamelwork. The execution of its sumptuous champlevé decoration required as many successive firings as there are colours, as each of the metal pigments mixed with powdered glass reaches its melting point at a different temperature. It is the result of true technical prowess. The iconographic programme, combining narration and symbolism, is on a par with the quality of execution; on the top, the story of Christ’s Passion is depicted alongside Old Testament episodes prefiguring the main episodes of the Passion cycle. The sides recount the martyrdom and death of the twelve Apostles. The whole is completed by figures of the Evangelists, a direct reference to the message of salvation represented on the top and conveyed in the Holy Scriptures. — S.B.

Tiled panel depicting a man fleeing from lions – detail

Isfahan (?) (Iran)17th cent.Glazed pottery; 120 x 95 cmInv. IS.38

The Safavid shah Abbas the Great installed his capital at Isfahan where he undertook a major building programme. Colourful tile panels in cuerda seca technique, often with narrative or moralizing themes, became a popular decorative item. The scene depicted here was part of a larger narrative panel. The story seems to have been taken from the Shahnameh, the Persian national epic by the poet Ferdowsi. It illustrates an episode in which a young rider who had foolishly hung his weapons in a plane tree to sit and enjoy wine at its foot is left with no option but to climb the tree to escape a pair of lions. The narrative style is in keeping with that of Safavid miniatures. Animals and plants typically fill the landscape and the rendering of the clouds reflects a Chinese influence. — B.O.

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‘Mysterious Sphinx’, Charles Van der Stappen

Brussels, Belgium1897Ivory, silver; H. 56.5 cmInv. Sc.73

The ‘Mysterious Sphinx’, sculptor Charles Van der Stappen’s best-known work, is considered a quintessential example of Symbolist and art nouveau sculpture. It was created for the Hall of Honour at the Colonial Exposition in Tervuren in 1897, where it was displayed on an onyx base set on a pedestal designed by Henry van de Velde. The ivory and silver sculpture is a shoulder-length portrayal of a young woman holding her right hand to her lips in a mysterious gesture. Her helmet is surmounted by an eagle, a reference to war and victory. On the other hand, her armour is decorated with poppies, symbolizing sleep. The serpent around her wrist represents death. Alluring beauty combines with the intoxicating destructiveness of the femme fatale, a central figure in the fin de siècle – a period characterized by a tension between confidence in and fear of the future, often with overtones of decadence. — W.A.

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Stele

Chiapas, MexicoEarly Classic Maya, 593 CECalcareous limestone; 250 x 75 cmInv. AAM.66.34

This architectural upright, probably discovered at Lacanja (Chiapas), is from an entrance to the palace. The relief panel depicts a Maya governor with all his attributes, including a very elaborate headdress with large feathers rising from it. The young sovereign is shown in war gear, in keeping with the tradition of the region. The inscription in Maya hieroglyphs above and in front of the figure states that he was twenty-two years old on 10 August 593 CE. It also says that he succeeded his father, no doubt specifying his ancestry in order to ensure his legitimacy. Beyond the fine quality of the carving, the main interest of this piece resides in the accompanying text, which gives us a tiny glimpse of political life in this important civilization. — S.L.

Offering bearer

North Coast, PeruChimú culture, 1200–1470 CEWood; H. 55 cmInv. AAM 5713

On his way to join an expedition bound for Easter Island, museum curator Henri Lavachery passed through Lima in July 1934. He visited pre- Columbian sites and purchased some artefacts, among them this statuette. Exhibited at the museum for the first time in 1935, it intrigued a famous visitor, the author Hergé, who worked it into one of the ‘Adventures of Tintin’: The Broken Ear. But the original object – which has a broken foot, not an ear – was sculpted by the Chimú rather than by Hergé’s hypothetical Arumbayas. Dated between the 13th and 15th centuries CE, it represents a litter carrier. Excavations carried out at the Huaca de la Luna, near Moche, uncovered wooden ‘models’ illustrating various ceremonies. For a burial, similar statuettes bore the litter where the deceased lay, while others brought various offerings. — S.L.

Cloak, called the ‘Mantle of Montezuma’, Tupinamba ethnic group

Atlantic Coast, BrazilBefore 17th cent.Feathers, plant fibre; 200 x 180 cmInv. AAM.5783

This masterpiece is fi rst mentioned in a manuscript written before 1780, where it is ascribed to Montezuma, the Aztec emperor in power when the Spaniards arrived in the early 16th century. The cloak was therefore attributed to a Mexican culture until

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Stele

Chiapas, MexicoEarly Classic Maya, 593 CECalcareous limestone; 250 x 75 cmInv. AAM.66.34

This architectural upright, probably discovered at Lacanja (Chiapas), is from an entrance to the palace. The relief panel depicts a Maya governor with all his attributes, including a very elaborate headdress with large feathers rising from it. The young sovereign is shown in war gear, in keeping with the tradition of the region. The inscription in Maya hieroglyphs above and in front of the figure states that he was twenty-two years old on 10 August 593 CE. It also says that he succeeded his father, no doubt specifying his ancestry in order to ensure his legitimacy. Beyond the fine quality of the carving, the main interest of this piece resides in the accompanying text, which gives us a tiny glimpse of political life in this important civilization. —

Offering bearer

North Coast, PeruChimú culture, 1200–1470 CEWood; H. 55 cmInv. AAM 5713

On his way to join an expedition bound for Easter Island, museum curator Henri Lavachery passed through Lima in July 1934. He visited pre- Columbian sites and purchased some artefacts, among them this statuette. Exhibited at the museum for the first time in 1935, it intrigued a famous visitor, the author Hergé, who worked it into one of the ‘Adventures of Tintin’: The Broken Ear. But the original object – which has a broken foot, not an ear – was sculpted by the Chimú rather than by Hergé’s hypothetical Arumbayas. Dated between the 13th and 15th centuries CE, it represents a litter carrier. Excavations carried out at the Huaca de la Luna, near Moche, uncovered wooden ‘models’ illustrating various ceremonies. For a burial, similar statuettes bore the litter where the deceased lay, while others brought various offerings. —

Cloak, called the ‘Mantle of Montezuma’, Tupinamba ethnic group

Atlantic Coast, BrazilBefore 17th cent.Feathers, plant fibre; 200 x 180 cmInv. AAM.5783

This masterpiece is fi rst mentioned in a manuscript written before 1780, where it is ascribed to Montezuma, the Aztec emperor in power when the Spaniards arrived in the early 16th century. The cloak was therefore attributed to a Mexican culture until

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the late 1920s, when a scholar by the name of Hirtel put forth the idea that the technique of fabrication could only be attributed to Amerindians of Brazil or Guyana. In 1939, this hypothesis was corroborated by Calberg, whose research showed that the technique of attaching feathers to a string was widespread on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. Other cloaks of this type are known in European collections (Paris, Florence, Frankfurt, Basle, Berlin and Copenhagen), but the Brussels example is longer and better preserved with regard to both the number of feathers and the freshness of its colours. — S.L.

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1. Relief with the head of a winged genius2. Kantharos, potted and painted by Douris3. Satyr teasing a panther4. Drinking horn5. Portable altar6. Tiled panel depicting a man fleeing from lions – detail7. ‘Mysterious Sphinx’, Charles Van der Stappen8. Stele, Chiapas (Mexico)9. Offering bearer10. Cloak, called the ‘Mantle of Montezuma’, Tupinamba ethnic group

ColophonText: Royal Museums of Art and HistoryEN: Liam O’SullivanLayout: Walter Leclercq© Brussels Museums - 2016