Openwork furniture plaque with a grazing oryx in a forest of fronds

Openwork furniture plaque with a grazing oryx in a forest of fronds

Unknown artist

Details

Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
5 x 4.69 x 0.43 in. (12.7 x 11.91 x 1.09 cm)
Origin
Assyrian
Holding institution
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
License
CC0-1.0
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1958

Art Genome Taxonomy

9 tags

Subject Matter

  • Animals Both · 99%

    The museum metadata lists Animals as a subject, and the image clearly depicts a prominently carved hoofed animal.

  • Flora Both · 95%

    The title refers to a forest of fronds, and the image shows repeated leaf-like, vertical, and curling vegetal motifs surrounding the animal.

Visual Qualities

  • Curvilinear Forms Visual · 94%

    The oryx's horns, body contours, and the surrounding scroll-like fronds are formed by pronounced rounded and looping lines.

  • Highly Ornamented Visual · 90%

    The compact plaque is densely embellished with repeated incised marks, vegetal motifs, framing elements, and ornamental scrolls.

Medium and Techniques

  • Relief Both · 99%

    The work is cataloged as a relief, and the image shows raised carved forms on a shallow plaque rather than a freestanding sculpture.

  • Open Form Both · 99%

    The title identifies the object as openwork, and the image clearly shows extensive pierced openings through the plaque around the animal and vegetal forms.

  • Carving Visual · 96%

    The plaque is visibly carved, with raised animal and vegetal elements and numerous incised details across the surface.

Time Periods

  • Ancient Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog dates the object to approximately the 9th–8th century BCE, placing it within Ancient Art.

Materials

  • Ivory Both · 99%

    The museum identifies the medium as ivory; the image shows a pale, dense carved material consistent with the catalog description.

Source & rights

Unknown artist. Openwork furniture plaque with a grazing oryx in a forest of fronds. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.