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This intaglio depicts the centaur Cheiron teaching Achilles how to play the lyre. He has a long beard and hair arranged in a thick roll around his head. A loose piece of cloth or animal skin hangs over his right shoulder. Achilles, on the left, holds a lyre as Cheiron, on the right, kneels and reaches out to him. To the right is a tree. The musical education of Achilles by Cheiron is a particularly popular theme on gems. The first literary reference to Cheiron’s instruction of Achilles in music is from Ovid (Ars Amatoria 1.11), but Achilles' lyre-playing is already mentioned in the Iliad (9.186-89).

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Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
7720c3e702ae87f4
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
13447
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "13447",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.1161",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Intaglio with Achilles and Cheiron Set in a Ring",
    "description": "This intaglio depicts the centaur Cheiron teaching Achilles how to play the lyre. He has a long beard and hair arranged in a thick roll around his head. A loose piece of cloth or animal skin hangs over his right shoulder. Achilles, on the left, holds a lyre as Cheiron, on the right, kneels and reaches out to him. To the right is a tree. The musical education of Achilles by Cheiron is a particularly popular theme on gems. The first literary reference to Cheiron’s instruction of Achilles in music is from Ovid (Ars Amatoria 1.11), but Achilles' lyre-playing is already mentioned in the Iliad (9.186-89).",
    "provenance": "John Stanhope, London, by 1748, [mode of acquisition unknown]; Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield, London, 1748, by bequest; William Ponsonby, second Earl of Bessborough, Parkstead House, London, by 1761, by purchase [Bessborough no. 31 C]; George Spencer, fourth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, ca. 1765, by purchase [Marlborough no. 339]; George Spencer-Churchill, fifth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1817, by bequest; George Spencer-Churchill, sixth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1840, by bequest; John Spencer-Churchill, seventh Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1857, by bequest; Sale, The Marlborough Gems, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 28 June 1875, p. 54, lot 339; David Bromilow, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, ca. 1875, by purchase; Julia Bromilow Jary, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, 1898, by bequest; Sale, The Marlborough Gems Purchased by the Late David Bromilow, esq., Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 26 June 1899, p. 61, lot 339; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1899, by purchase [Dikran Kelekian as agent]; Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by bequest; Joseph Brummer, Paris and New York, 1941, by purchase [Brummer inv. no. N5143a]; Walters Art Museum, 1942, by purchase.",
    "date": "2nd-1st century BC (Roman Imperial)",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.1161",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
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        "Precious Stones & Gems",
        "intaglios (sculptural objects)",
        "gems"
    ],
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    "dimensions": [
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        }
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    "dimensionsRaw": "Intaglio H: 1/2 × W: 3/8 in. (1.3 × 0.9 cm). Ring max diam: 13/16 × Hoop: 13/16 × Bezel H: 9/16 in. (2.1 × 2.1 × 1.4 cm)."
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "13447",
    "label": "Intaglio with Achilles and Cheiron Set in a Ring",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.1161"
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Document source metadata
{
    "id": "13447",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.1161",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Intaglio with Achilles and Cheiron Set in a Ring",
    "description": "This intaglio depicts the centaur Cheiron teaching Achilles how to play the lyre. He has a long beard and hair arranged in a thick roll around his head. A loose piece of cloth or animal skin hangs over his right shoulder. Achilles, on the left, holds a lyre as Cheiron, on the right, kneels and reaches out to him. To the right is a tree. The musical education of Achilles by Cheiron is a particularly popular theme on gems. The first literary reference to Cheiron’s instruction of Achilles in music is from Ovid (Ars Amatoria 1.11), but Achilles' lyre-playing is already mentioned in the Iliad (9.186-89).",
    "provenance": "John Stanhope, London, by 1748, [mode of acquisition unknown]; Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield, London, 1748, by bequest; William Ponsonby, second Earl of Bessborough, Parkstead House, London, by 1761, by purchase [Bessborough no. 31 C]; George Spencer, fourth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, ca. 1765, by purchase [Marlborough no. 339]; George Spencer-Churchill, fifth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1817, by bequest; George Spencer-Churchill, sixth Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1840, by bequest; John Spencer-Churchill, seventh Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1857, by bequest; Sale, The Marlborough Gems, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 28 June 1875, p. 54, lot 339; David Bromilow, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, ca. 1875, by purchase; Julia Bromilow Jary, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, 1898, by bequest; Sale, The Marlborough Gems Purchased by the Late David Bromilow, esq., Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 26 June 1899, p. 61, lot 339; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1899, by purchase [Dikran Kelekian as agent]; Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by bequest; Joseph Brummer, Paris and New York, 1941, by purchase [Brummer inv. no. N5143a]; Walters Art Museum, 1942, by purchase.",
    "date": "2nd-1st century BC (Roman Imperial)",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.1161",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Precious Stones & Gems",
        "intaglios (sculptural objects)",
        "gems"
    ],
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    "imageCount": 1,
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    "source": "import",
    "dimensions": [
        {
            "units": "cm",
            "width": 1.3,
            "height": 0.9
        }
    ],
    "dimensionsRaw": "Intaglio H: 1/2 × W: 3/8 in. (1.3 × 0.9 cm). Ring max diam: 13/16 × Hoop: 13/16 × Bezel H: 9/16 in. (2.1 × 2.1 × 1.4 cm)."
}
Document source extras
{
    "cul": "Roman",
    "med": "jasper; mount: gold",
    "creator_ids": [
        "2185"
    ],
    "collection_ids": [
        "GRC",
        "ROM",
        "JWL"
    ],
    "exhibition_ids": [
        "2089"
    ]
}
Page context
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    "url": "https://art.thewalters.org/images/raw/PS1_42.1161_Fnt_DD_T08.jpg",
    "mediaId": "7720c3e702ae87f4"
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