Fragment of an Architectural Frieze
- Culture
- Zapotec
- Period
- Late Classic period, 600–909
- Date
- c.600–909
- Classification
- Architectural elements, ceramics
- Collection
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 114
- Dimensions
- 7 3/8 x 13 1/2 x 3 1/2 in. (18.7 x 34.3 x 8.9 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Morton D. May
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 351:1978.3
Provenance
Private collection [1]
by 1966 -
William Spratling (1900-1967), Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico [2]
- 1966
Harry A. Franklin Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
1966 - 1978
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Harry A. Franklin Gallery [3]
1978 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [4]
Notes:
This object is one of 18 architectural fragments accessioned by the Museum in 1978 [351:1978.1-.18]. Although all the fragments were donated by Morton D. May, May purchased them from two different sources. 351:1978.3, .5, .6, .8, .9, .10, .11, .12, .14, .17, .18 share the same provenance.
[1] A letter dated July 25, 1966 from author Frank H. Boos to Museum curator Philippa D. Shaplin notes this tile was previously in an unnamed private collection [Curatorial Office, Primitive and Precolumbian Art Departmental Correspondence, Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[2] A letter dated October 20, 1966 from Boos to Shaplin identifies Spratling as owning this tile after the private collector [SLAM document files]. In a letter dated May 8, 1967 from Boos to Shaplin regarding the purchase of an additional tile [218:1978], Boos stated the tile [218:1978] was "in the possession of the one who owned the first lot [351:1978.3, .5, .6, .8, 9, .10, .11, .12, .14, .17, .18] of them" [Curatorial Office, Primitive and Precolumbian Art Departmental Correspondence, Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum]. A letter dated May 11, 1967 from Shaplin to Boos clearly identifies the tile [218:1978] was "obtained from Spratling" [Curatorial Office, Primitive and Precolumbian Art Departmental Correspondence, Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum]. Two additional letters from Boos to Shaplin dated May 29, 1967 and June 3, 1967 identify the tile [218:1978] as "Spratling's "newly-discovered" tile" and "Spratling's new found tile" [SLAM document files].
[3] An invoice dated March 30, 1966 from Harry A. Franklin Gallery to May documents this purchase, listed as "Monte Alban (Zapotec) frieze terracotta" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[4] A letter dated September 19, 1978 from May to James N. Wood, director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, includes the offer of this object as part of a larger donation [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, December 13, 1978.
by 1966 -
William Spratling (1900-1967), Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico [2]
- 1966
Harry A. Franklin Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
1966 - 1978
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Harry A. Franklin Gallery [3]
1978 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [4]
Notes:
This object is one of 18 architectural fragments accessioned by the Museum in 1978 [351:1978.1-.18]. Although all the fragments were donated by Morton D. May, May purchased them from two different sources. 351:1978.3, .5, .6, .8, .9, .10, .11, .12, .14, .17, .18 share the same provenance.
[1] A letter dated July 25, 1966 from author Frank H. Boos to Museum curator Philippa D. Shaplin notes this tile was previously in an unnamed private collection [Curatorial Office, Primitive and Precolumbian Art Departmental Correspondence, Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[2] A letter dated October 20, 1966 from Boos to Shaplin identifies Spratling as owning this tile after the private collector [SLAM document files]. In a letter dated May 8, 1967 from Boos to Shaplin regarding the purchase of an additional tile [218:1978], Boos stated the tile [218:1978] was "in the possession of the one who owned the first lot [351:1978.3, .5, .6, .8, 9, .10, .11, .12, .14, .17, .18] of them" [Curatorial Office, Primitive and Precolumbian Art Departmental Correspondence, Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum]. A letter dated May 11, 1967 from Shaplin to Boos clearly identifies the tile [218:1978] was "obtained from Spratling" [Curatorial Office, Primitive and Precolumbian Art Departmental Correspondence, Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum]. Two additional letters from Boos to Shaplin dated May 29, 1967 and June 3, 1967 identify the tile [218:1978] as "Spratling's "newly-discovered" tile" and "Spratling's new found tile" [SLAM document files].
[3] An invoice dated March 30, 1966 from Harry A. Franklin Gallery to May documents this purchase, listed as "Monte Alban (Zapotec) frieze terracotta" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[4] A letter dated September 19, 1978 from May to James N. Wood, director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, includes the offer of this object as part of a larger donation [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, December 13, 1978.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.