Accession No

Z 39620


Description

Miniature scene of a bullfight with pottery figures. Three human figures, two waving capes made from paper, and three bull figures. Scene also includes curved piece of card painted blue and brown, possibly representing the bullring. All fixed to a grey wooden base.


Place

Americas; North America; Mexico; Puebla


Period


Source

Starr, Frederick [collector]; Folklore Society [donor]


Department

Anth


Reference Numbers

Z 39620; 51 [Starr Coll.]


Cultural Affliation


Material

Clay; Ceramic; Pottery; Pigment; Wood; Paper


Local Term


Measurements

45mm x 20mm x 65mm


Events

Description (Physical description)
Miniature scene, in pottery, of a bullfight.
Event Date
Author: maa


Context (Field collection)
Collected by Professor Frederick Starr in 1898.
Event Date 1898
Author: Lucie Carreau


Context (References)
Starr, Frederick. 1899. Catalogue of a Collection of Objects Illustrating the Folklore of Mexico. London: The Folklore Society & David Nutt.
Event Date 1899
Author: Lucie Carreau


Context (Amendments / updates)
The Frederick Starr Collection of Mexican Folklore was never catalogued when it came to the museum. Cataloguing was done in 1984 when, by error, some of the items were entered in the 1984 book instead of the Z book. To try to correct this in the simplest way possible, all these numbers were grouped under a single Z number, in addition to the number already given. The remainder of the collection was then given individual Z numbers in the normal way. The collection was examined in 1984 by Dr Charlene Cerny (Director of the Museum of National Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico) and her colleague, Valentin Jacques, both experts on Mexican folk art. Her notes on the collection, together with a xerox of the original catalogue, which has full details on the uses of the various items, is on file. The collection is unusual in being well documented and of such an early date, and is a rare one outside Mexico. Not all the items listed in the original catalogue were found at the time of cataloguing.
Event Date 1984
Author: maa


Description (Physical description)
Miniature scene of a bullfight with pottery figures. Three human figures, two waving capes made from paper, and three bull figures. Scene also includes curved piece of card painted blue and brown, possibly representing the bullring. All fixed to a grey wooden base.
Event Date 7/7/2021
Author: Emily Shorter


Exhibition (Spotlight Gallery)
EXH.2022.11 | Spotlight on Stores Move
Event Date 25/7/2022
Author: Katrina Dring


Context (Display)
Displayed as part of the Spotlight on Stores Move exhibition (Z 39595, Z 39596 and Z 39620). Caption provided by Emily Shorter: 'Come in for a closer look... Here are three miniature scenes depicting a bullfight, wedding, and a boating scene. I was immediately drawn to their intricacy. Movement and life have been captured on such a small scale! These factors also made the delicate objects a challenge to pack. Displayed here are the solutions I found.'
Event Date 4/2023
Author: Katrina Dring


FM:84421

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