Human-Headed Genie with a Slender Body Relief in the Brooklyn Museum, August 2007

Human-Headed Genie With a Slender Body
Alabaster
Neo-Assyrian Period, reign of Ashur-nasir-pal II (circa 883-859 BC)
Iraq, Nimrud (Kalhu), from room L of the Northwest Palace
Accession # 55.148

The winged genies on the reliefs in this gallery exhibit two distinct body types and two different styles of dress. The figure in this relief has a long, lean body and wears a garment with a long, vertical fringe folded back; genies in other reliefs are of shorter, stockier build and wear a garment with a fringe that lays flat. These differences may indicate that at least two master artists were responsible for designing the reliefs in Ashur-nasir-pal II's palace.

Text from the Brooklyn Museum label.