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Museum August Kestner Antike Kulturen Luristan. Antike Bronzen aus dem Iran [1971.46]
1971.046 (Museum August Kestner CC BY-NC-SA)
Provenance/Rights: Museum August Kestner (CC BY-NC-SA)
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Handle with chimera-like elements

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Description

This piece appears to be a combination of two elements that were joined at the midpoint. One part consists of a wide piece with three protrusions on each side and a break at the "upper" connection. The protrusions appear to be an eye, ear, and attached trunk sections of different zoomorphic figures that merge into a broad, longitudinally ribbed piece in the torso area below the front legs. The opposing figures were formed on both sides and probably represent Pantherinae with fractured mouths, each containing a large fang. The eyes appear semi-circular and are surrounded and emphasized by a bulge. The oval-shaped ears point downward when looked at from the eye and flow into the base of the trunk, where the angled front legs attach, their paws converging below the eyes.
The second part could be the rough impression of a stand-like attachment with two Pantherinae. The upper third of the section appears as sweeping curves on both sides, which converge and end in a volute at the base on one side and a hooked extension on the other. Upon closer inspection, we notice that this straight piece is divided into several sections running top to bottom: on the outside, drooping tails can be seen that bend over at the bottom and end in the volute as a coiled tail tip, while on the other side only the hook is recognizable as a tail tip. 0Between these tails and the rest of the piece are narrow, free spaces filled on one side with a grey mass—presumably solder.
Faintly visible between the tails sit the curved barrels of the predatory cats, as known from other stand-like attachments. The free space that usually separated them is filled, which is probably due to carelessness during the process of molding a stand attachment. A triple hallmark in the shape of a triangle can be seen at the base of the piece. The second part of the piece was cast hollow.
As interesting as this piece is, it is unlikely an original, as the inspiration for them is known from Luristan but not the mold or molds themselves. Conversely, the use of soldering material suggests that it was made in the 20th century.

Material/Technique

Bronze/Casting

Part of

Museum August Kestner

Object from: Museum August Kestner

Das Museum August Kestner ist benannt nach August Kestner (1777-1853). Das älteste städtische Museum in der Landeshauptstadt Hannover wird von einer...

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