Provenance Information

Sold, Christie's, New York, June 10, 1994, lot 133, to Curtis Brown (1954-2024), Shreveport, Louisiana; estate of Curtis Brown, by gift to the San Antonio Museum of Art, 2025.

Exhibition Information

Long-term loan to the Dallas Museum of Art (EXLOAN.158.1994.1), 1994-1996.
Long-term loan to the San Antonio Museum of Art (L.98.31.6), 1998-2025.

Publication Information

Christie's, New York, June 10, 1994, lot 133.

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

The work was on long-term loan at the San Antonio Museum of Art since 1998. The San Antonio Museum of Art maintains a collection of Ancient Mediterranean Art, and the vessel strengthens this collection.

In accordance with the Cultural Accord between SAMA and Italy’s Ministry of Culture signed in 2023, the museum contacted the Ministry of Culture and the Carabinieri’s Cultural Heritage Protection unit about the proposed acquisition of the cup. The Ministry of Culture provided formal notification (dated April 18, 2025) confirming that they have no evidence that the cup was illegally exported from Italy.

Provenance Information

With Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York, by 1996; sold to Erika Hughes (1936–2014), New York, April 30, 1996; bequeathed by Erika Hughes and Thomas Leland Hughes to the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., 2014

Exhibition Information

N/A

Publication Information

"Acquisitions 2015," Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin: Online Supplement (accessed December 1, 2015), 15

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

N/D

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

N/A

Provenance Information

Frances Haley Blomquist, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Jenny Blomquist, Annapolis, Maryland, 2001, by inheritance; Walters Art Museum, 2008, by gift.

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

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

This object was brought onsite to the Walters as part of a long-term loan in 2007

Provenance Information

J.J. Lally & Co., New York, NY (1999); Mrs. Barbara S. Robinson, Cleveland, OH (2004-2023); gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art (2023)

Exhibition Information

None

Publication Information

None

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

The object qualifies for this exception as it is a gift or bequest to the museum stated prior to 2008. This is confirmed by a letter from the attorney of Barbara S. Robinson (now in museum files) attesting to Mrs. Robinson’s intent, memorialized in estate planning documents by 2007, to donate her collection of antiquities to the Cleveland Museum of Art following her death. This figure is a typical representation of Han dynasty funeral tomb figures that reflect the customs of elite culture in the region of today’s Sichuan province.

Provenance Information

Oberingenieur Jakob Muller-Binder, Zurich, Switzerland, descended to Mr. Dennis Muller (Early 1960s to 1989); Mr. Dennis Muller, Switzerland (1989 to at least 1996); F.A.C. Kunsthandel (Wolfgang Wilhelm), Frankfurt, Germany, sold to Mrs. Barbara S. Robinson (2007); Barbara S. Robinson, Cleveland, OH (2007-2023); gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art (2023)

Exhibition Information

Long-term loan to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 2020-2023.

Publication Information

None

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

The 2007 invoice from F.A.C. Kunsthandel states that the plaque was acquired in the early 1960s, though without further details regarding place or vendor. More than 5000 plaques of this type, mostly fragmentary, are housed in the museums of Reggio Calabria and Locri in South Italy, primarily from excavations of the sanctuary of Persephone at Locri Epizephirii carried out in the early twentieth century. But numerous examples reached other museums and the art market prior to these excavations, and without evidence contrary to that stated on the 2007 invoice, an informed judgment can be made that this plaque was likely out of its country of modern discovery prior to 1970. In addition, an exception to 1970 can be made for this object because it was expected as a gift or bequest prior to 2008. This is confirmed by a letter from the attorney of Barbara S. Robinson (now in museum files) attesting to Mrs. Robinson’s intent, memorialized in estate planning documents by 2007, to donate her collection of antiquities to the Cleveland Museum of Art following her death. This plaque is the only one of its type in the CMA collection.

Provenance Information

Purchased for MCCM by Robert Walzer [Nathan Rubin - Ida Ladd Family Foundation], Georgetown, Connecticut, July 2000, possibly from Kapoor Galleries, New York, New York.

Exhibition Information

MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, September 2004 - August 26, 2013;
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, September 25, 2013 - April 4, 2021;
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, August 28, 2021 - Present

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

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

Acquired by museum in 2001.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. William Knight Zewadski, United States, gift from Fortuna Galleries, New York, New York, 1991.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

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

Object was gifted to museum in 1996.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. William Knight Zewadski, United States, gift from Fortuna Galleries, New York, New York, 1991.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

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

Object gifted to museum in 1996.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. William Knight Zewadski, United States, gift from Fortuna Galleries, New York, New York, 1991.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

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

Object gifted to museum in 1996.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. William Knight Zewadski, United States, gift from Fortuna Galleries, New York, New York, 1991.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

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

Object gifted to museum in 1996.