Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
From the Northwest Palace of Ashurnasirpal II, Nimrud (Calah, Kalḫu), Iraq [1]. By early 1955, Mrs. Paul (Marguerite) Mallon, New York (Paul Mallon, 1884–1975) ( Marguerite Mallon, d. 1977); [2] purchased by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), accessioned into VMFA collection in November of 1956. [3]
[1] This fragment is published as from the Northwest Palace, with various sources suggesting different original locations. See Publication History. It is not confirmed whether this relief was excavated by the archeological team led by Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817–1894) or in a possible previous or subsequent excavation. For an overview of excavation history, see: Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art. “Early Excavations in Assyria.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rdas/hd_rdas.htm (October 2004; updated August 2021)
[2] It is not known when and from whom Paul and Maguerite Mallon acquired the fragment. On the original accession card and in the object file, there is reference to a “LaPorte Collection.” This collection or possible ownership has not been verified.
In the object file, there is a June 12, 1956 letter in which Associate Director Muriel Christison references the museum’s interest in acquiring the “Assyrian relief” which she had seen when she “first visited” the Mallons in New York. According to a February 3, 1955, letter from Christison to the Mallons, from another object file, this visit to New York had been recent and Christison thanked them for having “shown the various objects to us.” The relief was apparently in their holdings by at least February 1955, if not earlier.
[3] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.
[1] This fragment is published as from the Northwest Palace, with various sources suggesting different original locations. See Publication History. It is not confirmed whether this relief was excavated by the archeological team led by Sir Austen Henry Layard (1817–1894) or in a possible previous or subsequent excavation. For an overview of excavation history, see: Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art. “Early Excavations in Assyria.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rdas/hd_rdas.htm (October 2004; updated August 2021)
[2] It is not known when and from whom Paul and Maguerite Mallon acquired the fragment. On the original accession card and in the object file, there is reference to a “LaPorte Collection.” This collection or possible ownership has not been verified.
In the object file, there is a June 12, 1956 letter in which Associate Director Muriel Christison references the museum’s interest in acquiring the “Assyrian relief” which she had seen when she “first visited” the Mallons in New York. According to a February 3, 1955, letter from Christison to the Mallons, from another object file, this visit to New York had been recent and Christison thanked them for having “shown the various objects to us.” The relief was apparently in their holdings by at least February 1955, if not earlier.
[3] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.
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Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.