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Chess Piece with a Bear Devouring the Head of a Woman

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Bookmark: http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/165006





Chess Piece with a Bear Devouring the Head of a Woman

1873, after original of 12th century (?)
Plaster cast of original ivory carving
State: Reproduction

1 9/16 in. x 2 1/4 in. x 15/16 in. (4 cm x 5.7 cm x 2.4 cm)

Bryn Mawr College
Accession Number: 1873.301
Acquisition Date: 1908
Geography: Europe, Possibly Republic of Ireland
Classification: Fine and Visual Arts; Sculptures; Fictile Ivories
Culture/Nationality: Irish?
Collection: Fictile Ivories
Description: Cast of a chess piece (?) with a bear devouring the head of a woman after an original of unknown location; formerly in the private collection of the late R. Ball, Esq., Dublin. Description: "A bear devouring the head of a crouching male figure covered with a cowl and holding a vessel in his right hand, which appears to represent one of the square hand bells used in the early Irish church." (Westwood p. 288)

Keywords Click a term to view the records with the same keyword
This object has the following keywords:
chess*, game pieces*, games*
  • chess - Board game, held to be one of the oldest and most popular, played by two opponents on a checkered board with specially designed pieces of contrasting colors, commonly white and black. Players alternate turns in accordance with fixed rules, each player attempting to force the opponent's principal piece, the King, into checkmate, which is a position where it is unable to avoid capture. It first appeared in India in the 6th century CE; by the 10th century, it had spread from Asia to the Middle East and Europe. It remains popular and the focus of popular amateur and professional competitions.
  • game pieces - The objects, usually small and of hard durable materials, manipulated directly by participants during the play of card, table, and board games.
  • games - Forms of competitive play, usually involving an element of strategy, especially to interfere with an opponent's play; may or may not require physical skill.

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Additional Image 1873.301_BMC_pr.jpg
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Additional Image 1873.301_BMC_cc.jpg
1873.301_BMC_cc.jpg

Bibliography List
The following Bibliography exist for this object:
  • J. O. Westwood, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Fictile Ivories in the South Kensington Museum G. E. Eyre and W. Spottiswoods. London, England, 1876
    Page Number: 288, no. 812

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Thumbnail image of Fictile Ivories
Fictile Ivories

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=BMC>cite web |url=http://triarte.brynmawr.edu/objects-1/info/165006 |title=Chess Piece with a Bear Devouring the Head of a Woman |author=Bryn Mawr College Library Special Collections |accessdate=4/16/2024 |publisher=Bryn Mawr College</ref>

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