SOURCE Notes in the History of Art Vol. XX No. 1 Fall 2000 Special Issue on Forgeries ofAncient Art Guest Editor: Oscar White Muscarella EDITOR'S NOTE Oscar White Muscarella A "CYCLADIC" HARPISTIN THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART Ba Lawergren ON THE NATURE OF FORGERIES OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WORKS OF ART FROM THE AMARNA PERIOD Robert Steven Bianchi BOY GODS, BULL LEAPERS, AND MOTHER GODDESSES Kenneth D. S. Lapatin EXCAVATED IN THE BAZAAR: ASHURBANIPAL'S BEAKER Oscar White Muscarella INCONGRUOUS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS ON AN ALLEGED ASSYRlAN BEAKER Ba Lawergren PROOF?: THE CASE OF THE GETTY KOUROS Kenneth D. S. Lapatin FRANCESCO MARTINETTI AND THE CISTA PASINATI: SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE ENHANCEMENT OF ANCIENT BRONZES Richard De Pwna A "CYCLADIC" HARPIST IN THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART Bo Lawergren Harp-player statuettes are among the most Levy-White Collection, New York ("reput­ remarkable examples of Cycladic art in edly found on Amorgos");6 single examples modem assemblages. However, all but pos­ (number 7) in the Getty Museum, Malibu, sibly two lack definite provenience. This California ("reputedly found on Amor­ state of affairs caused Gill and Chippindale goS");7 number 8 in the Virginia Museum, to express misgivings about the whole cor­ Richmond;8 number 9 in the Gallimonopu­ pus, and they seem to suggest that many lous Collection (on loan to the Metropolitan harp figurines might be modern forgeries, Museum of Ai1, L. 1982.27.13);9 number 10 even those that surfaced in the early nine­ (Figs. lI-K) in the Metropolitan Museum of teenth century. I I am less skeptical inas­ Art. 10 Another example (number 11) sur­ much as two fragmented harp players, both faced in the New York City antiquity market in Athens's National Archaeological Muse­ in recent years. I] Furthermore, Bent report­ um, were probably excavated. In j 910, one ed in 1888 that a harpist "similar to that" in was claimed for Grave 40 at the Aphantika Athens (number 2, above) was found at cemetery on Naxos (number 1; Fig. 1D).2 Cape Crio (southwest Anatolia); but it was The other (number 2; Fig. 1C) was reported not illustrated, and no one has ever seen it. 12 in 1884 to have come from a tomb on These eleven statuettes reflect a steadily Keros, although the writer did not witness rising curve that began with Getz-Preziosi's the excavation. 3 The evidence (circumstan­ report of "seven well-preserved" and, in her tial but not absent) indicates that Cycladic opinion, genuine harp players in 198013 and harp figurines existed but cannot by itself continued with Schaik'sl4 compilation of authenticate other individual pieces. The ten harp statuettes in 1988, of which he con­ earliest published harpist is in the Badisches siders numbers 8 and 9 (above) doubtful. IS Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, reported in Although these two scholars have been the 1853 to have been found in 1840 on Thera main writers on the subject of Cycladic harp (number 3); another appeared in Karlsruhe statuettes, neither has provided much evi­ sometime before 1884.4 But no information dence for their authenticity. We might say surfaced about the circumstances of the that no Cycladic harp statuette is definitely finds. These early dates do not guarantee known to be genuine, but numbers 1 and 2 authenticity. As Gill and Chippindale point are our best candidates. 16 out, forgers were already busy in the nine­ The Metropolitan Museum of Art's teenth century.s harpist was acquired in 1947, and since that Seven other Cycladiclike harpists are time a number of scholars have considered known today, but none has an archaeologi­ it suspectl7 because of numerous uncharac­ cal provenience: a pair (numbers 5-6) in the teristic details of the harpist: hollow eyes,18 3 square mouth, prominent ears, long and hands of other harpers shown in the act of muscular anus, distinctive muls, feet off the plucking the strings of their instruments (as ground, legs that are too vertical, a body that opposed to merely holding the frames) are is too thick and heavy, groin and back in every case missing. As the thumb is very joined to the chair, and a belt. 19 But Getz­ much used in harp playing, it is quite possi­ Prezi si declared it genuine twenty years ble that clearly defined thumbs were carved ago,20 and Schaik followed SUit. 21 Ten y ars on these other figures as well."24 But one earlier, Getz-Preziosi and S. S. Weinberg fails to see arm muscles on other harpists, had noticed "paint ghosts" on the marble.22 and most of the remaining arguments are During burial in the soil, unpaint d marble equally unconvincing.25 However, one argu­ darkens slightly whereas painted parts may ment appears relatively solid: the etrop 1­ be protected and produce a ghost. Indeed, itan's harpist sits on a chair similar to (but the top of the Metropolitan harpist's head not the same as) one on an excavated (non­ has an area lighter than the rest, and the harp) statuette publi hed in 1971. A forger scholars assumed it to be a ghost. Forgers, may have had difficulti s guessing the they argued, could not produce the effect shape in the late 1940s, when the harp was since they did not know about paint ghosts acquired. in 1947. But Getz-Preziosi and Weinberg's A final decision of the authenticity of the argument is unconvincing since forgers may Metropolitan's harpist must consider care­ be as observant as (or more observant than) fully the pros and cons. Here I advance one art historians, and abrasive cleaning agents of the most important cons, one based on an might produce the alleged ghosts. To evalu­ analysis of the harp itself, aspects that have ate their argument, one needs to know the not been con idered so far. Probl ms ari e erosion mechanism and the possibility of that go well beyond the anatomical oddities modem imitations.23 noted abo e. Even if we assume that the head is ancient-albeit witho t ancient parallels for I now wish to discuss ancient harps, leaving its fonn, face, and ghost-the rest of the the Metropolitan's harp until the next s c­ statuette could still be mod m since the tiOD. The uniqueness of the Cycladic harp neck is broken. To assess this possibility, (numbers 1 and 2) emerges when it is put in one would have to disassemble the neck historical and geographic context. Since joint and check how well the two surfaces around 3000 B.C.E. harps hav been com­ fit and whether modem hands have "made" mon in th Near East, and since around them fit. In 1980, Getz-Preziosi addressed 2500 B.C.E. in Egypt. Until 2000 B.C.E., all some (suspect) features of the Metropoli­ harps had a soundbox from which an arched tan's harpist. "The mu cled arms and the rod protruded. The rod had various lengths thumbs are the features singled out by those and curvature, but only the Cycladic rod who question th harper's authenticity. was long enough and curved enough to Actually, arm musculature is shown on two emerge at on end of the box and proceed to other harpers though to a less pronounced the oth r end. The rod and box form a degree of development. The articulated closed frame, and although the instrument is thumbs may be unique to this piece only often called a "frame harp," structurally it is through an accident of preservation: the just a member of the arched harp family, 4 distinguished by an unusually long and per­ triangular shape at the top may correspond sistently curved arch.26 to the bird's beak on Cycladic harp number Figure I shows arched harps from related 2. areas and periods. The basic structure is an Extant Egyptian harps reveal the sound­ oblong soundbox extended by a narrow box structure, and ample representations arched rod at the end. On the earliest harp elsewhere (but few extant samples) are con­ known (Fig. 1A), the rod and box form a sistent with the Egyptian evidence. The smooth arch without distinct joint. The harp boxes have rigid wooden walls on all sides in Figure 1B is scratched on a stone surface. except one, which is covered by a flexible A wedge-shaped box appears to abut a nar­ membrane (leather or thin wood) usually row rod bending upward, and a mass of called a soundboard. The strings are strings occupy the intermediate space. Per­ attached to a long, thin stick that presses haps a bent stick is placed between the left against the latter. Without the stick, the edge of the box and the top of the rod, in strings would pull directly on the mem­ which case the contraption would form a brane and easily tear it. In ancient Egypt, solid frame-a premonition of Cycladic the stick was placed above the sound sur­ harp number 2 (Keros).27 Egypt has yielded face (visible as thin slivers in Figs. lE-G), many types of extant harps, including the but it could also lie below the surface, as on "shoulder harp," illustrated in Figure I G. Its current African harps)] Since Cycladic box abruptly terminates at the right end, soundboxes have smooth surfaces, the stick where a thin rod emerges along the axis of was probably hidden inside. the box.28 This construction resembles the Strings are missing from Cycladic harps Keros harp. All Egyptian harps (Figs. and need to be put in place to allow an lE-G) have shorter arches than the Keros understanding of playing techniques.