Provenance Information

Appraised by Edoardo Almagia, Antiquities and Medieval Works of Art, New York, 1986 and 1991; Collection of Erika and Thomas Leland Hughes by or before 1986; Insurance record, 1991; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., acquired by bequest from the above, 2014.

Exhibition Information

Art for Yale: Collecting for a New Century, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, 09/18/2007–01/13/2008

Publication Information

Art for Yale: Collecting for a New Century, exh. cat. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 2007), 200, 387, pl. 184.

Giuseppe Sassatelli, ed., Corpus Speculorum Etruscorum: Bologna - Museo Civico II (Rome: L'Erma di Bretschneider, 1981), 15–16, 40–41, no. 4, fig. 4.

Meghan C. Freeman, "Ambiguous Reflections: A Unique Etruscan Mirror at Yale," Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin (2016): 90–91, fig. 1–2.

"Acquisitions 2015," http://artgallery.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Pub_Bull_acquisitions_2015_updated%2012_16_15.pdf (accessed December 1, 2015).

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Exhibited as Promised Gift to YUAG in 2007 (Art for Yale: Collecting for a New Century exhibition, 2007); documented ownership by T. and E. Hughes by 1986

Provenance Information

Reportedly acquired from Paul Munro-Walker, Bornemouth, Dorset, Great Britain, by Virgilo Constantino Vecchi, Vecchi & Sons, London, in the 1960s; sold to Private Collector, Switzerland, 1972; purchased from Private Collector, Switzerland, through dealer Plektron Fine Arts A. G., Zurich, by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2017.

Exhibition Information

The cuirass was on long-term loan to, and on display at, The Museum of Art and History, Geneva, Switzerland, from 2001 to 2015. The helmet was on loan to the Glyptothek Museum, Munich, Germany, from 2005 to 2015.

Publication Information

Unpublished

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work has provenance to 1972 when it was acquired by a private collector in Switzerland who sold the work to the Metropolitan Museum. It has provenance reported to the late 1960s but the Metropolitan Museum has been unable to independently verify that information. The cuirass was on loan to the Museum of Art and History, Geneva, Switzerland, from 2001 to 2015. The helmet was on loan to the Glyptothek Museum, Munich, Germany from 2005 to 2015.
This is a one of the most distinctive and best preserved Etruscan panoplies surviving from the 5th century B.C. It would be the only complete or near-complete Etruscan armor in the Metropolitan Museum's collection. It is comprised of an exceptional helmet, a finely modeled muscle cuirass, and a single greave. The ensemble is remarkable for its topological singularities, ornamentation in silver, and overall state of preservation. Noteworthy features on the helmet include an applied silver gorgon and a bronze crest representing Pegasus. The breastplate and backplate stand out for the sensitive sculptural treatment of the anatomy.

Provenance Information

T. Fujita, Tokyo, Japan and Lugano, Switzerland in the 1970's; in the collection of the Kurashiki Ninagawa Museum, Kurashiki, Okayama County, Japan, by 1980, then to the Kyoto Girishia Roma Bijutsukan, Kyoto, Japan, until about 2007; sold by Mr. Akira Ninagawa at aution through Christie's New York, New York, June 4, 2008, lot 225, to Phoenix Ancient Art, New York, New York; purchased by the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois in 2009.

Exhibition Information

Das Tier in der Antike, 400 Werke ägyptischer, griechischer, etruskischer, und römischer Kunst aus privatem und öffentlichem Besitz, Zürich Archäologischen Institut der Universität, Zürich , Switzerland, September 21-November 17, 1974).

In collection of Kurashiki Ninagawa Museum, Kurashiki, Okayama County, Japan, by 1980; exhibition dates unknown.

Thereafter in collection of Kyoto Girishia Roma Bijutsukan, Kyoto, Japan, until about 2007; exhibition dates unknown.

International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show, Seventh Regiment Armory, New York, New York, October 17-23, 2008, Phoenix Ancient Art, Stand B-15.

The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, November 2009-February 2012 in gallery 156; November 2012-present in gallery 152.

Publication Information (list publication name, place(s), title and dates):

Bloesch, Hansjörg, Das Tier in der Antike, 400 Werke ägyptischer, griechischer, etruskischer, und römischer Kunst aus privatem und öffentlichem Besitz (Zürich, Switzerland,1974), p. 53, no. 322, pl. 55, 322a and 322b.

n.a. The Ancient and Modern Art in the Kurashiki Museum (Tokyo, Japan, 1980), pl. 60(A).

Simon, Erika, The Kurashiki Ninagawa Museum: Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities (Mainz on Rhine, Germany, 982, pp. 155, 182-4, no. 115 (illus).

Drukker, Anja, “The Ivy Painter in Friesland,” in Enthousiasmos: Essays on Greek and Related Pottery Presented to J. M. Hemelrijk (Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1986), pp. 39-48, no. 41.

Werner, Ingrid, Dionysos in Etruria: The Ivy Leaf Group, Skrifter Utgivna au Svenska Institutet I Rome, Acta Instituti Romani Regni Seuciae, 4, LVII (Stockholm, Sweden, 2005), p. 31, pl. 27, no. 4/6/6.1.

Christie’s New York Antiquities (New York, New York, June 4, 2008), lot 225.

Phoenix Ancient Art, (Geneva, Switzerland, 2008, 1), pp. 38-39, 104, no. 27.

Art Institute of Chicago, Annual Report 2008-2009 (posted on AIC web site), pp. 19, 25 (ill.).

Publication Information

Published:
Bloesch, Hansjörg, Das Tier in der Antike, 400 Werke ägyptischer, griechischer, etruskischer, und römischer Kunst aus privatem und öffentlichem Besitz (Zürich, 1974), p. 53, no. 322, pl. 55, 322a and 322b.
n.a. The Ancient and Modern Art in the Kurashiki Museum (Tokyo, 1980), pl. 60(A).
Simon, Erika, The Kurashiki Ninagawa Museum: Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities (Mainz on Rhine), 1982, pp. 155, 182-4, no. 115 (illus).
Drukker, Anja, “The Ivy Painter in Friesland,” in Enthousiasmos: Essays on Greek and Related Pottery Presented to J. M. Hemelrijk (Amsterdam, 1986), pp. 39-48, no. 41.
Werner, Ingrid, Dionysos in Etruria: The Ivy Leaf Group, Skrifter Utgivna au Svenska Institutet I Rome, Acta Instituti Romani Regni Seuciae, 4, LVII (Stockholm, 2005), p. 31, pl. 27, no. 4/6/6.1.
Christie’s New York Antiquities, June 4, 2008, lot 225.
Phoenix Ancient Art, (Geneva, Switzerland, 2008, 1), pp. 38-39, 104, no. 27.
The Art Institute of Chicago, Annual Report 2008-2009 (posted on AIC web site), pp. 19, 25 (ill.).

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The cumulative facts and circumstances known to the Art Institute of Chicago at the time of the acquisition allowed it to make an informed judgment to acquire the object. The 2008 Christie’s catalog cited the provenance for the object as “with T. Fujita, 1970s.” Mr. Fujita is now deceased, and two letters to Mr. Akira Ninagawa of the Kurashiki Ninagawa Museum requesting additional information regarding the object's prior ownership remain unanswered. However, the object has been published eight times since 1974, and also has an extensive exhibition history. In addition, this acquisition furthers the representation of the artistic achievements of all civilizations in art museums because it is an extremely fine example of an Etruscan vase that emulates a Greek vessel shape and decorative technique.