Palma
- Culture
- Classic Veracruz
- Period
- Late Classic period, 600–909
- Date
- c.600–909
- Material
- Stone
- Classification
- Sculpture, stone & mineral
- Collection
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 114
- Dimensions
- 21 x 8 x 6 in. (53.3 x 20.3 x 15.2 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Morton D. May
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 213:1978
NOTES
Hidden amid a mass of convoluted scrollwork that covers the surface of this palma lies the nose, eye, arm, and bent legs of a human figure. Classic Veracruz lapidary artists specialized in this kind of dense visual interplay, where traditional distinctions between a primary figural subject set off from a distinct background almost completely disappear. In this instance, some of the scrolls seem to emerge from just under the nose, perhaps indicating that they should be understood as speech scrolls. But the symbolic meaning of the scrolls could also refer to clouds or smoke.
Provenance
Everett Rassiga Inc., New York, NY, USA
- 1967
D'Arcy Galleries, New York, NY, purchased from Everett Rassiga Inc. [1]
1967 - 1978
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from D'Arcy Galleries [2]
1978 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [3]
Notes:
[1] A note on the accession record states this object was "originally owned by [Everett] Rassiga who sold it to D'Arcy Galleries" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[2] An invoice dated May 5, 1967 from D'Arcy Galleries to Morton D. May documents this purchase, listed as "2310 / Ceremonial Palma, with carved figure decoration, stone. / *from the Tajin area / Mexico, Totonac / 20" high - has stand" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[3] A letter dated September 29, 1978 from Morton D. 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.
- 1967
D'Arcy Galleries, New York, NY, purchased from Everett Rassiga Inc. [1]
1967 - 1978
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from D'Arcy Galleries [2]
1978 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [3]
Notes:
[1] A note on the accession record states this object was "originally owned by [Everett] Rassiga who sold it to D'Arcy Galleries" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[2] An invoice dated May 5, 1967 from D'Arcy Galleries to Morton D. May documents this purchase, listed as "2310 / Ceremonial Palma, with carved figure decoration, stone. / *from the Tajin area / Mexico, Totonac / 20" high - has stand" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[3] A letter dated September 29, 1978 from Morton D. 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.