after Briton Rivière (London, 1840 - 1920, London)
Photograph of Briton Rivière's "Persepolis", 1880-1890
Photomechanical reproduction on brown board, 29.5 x 46 cm (11 5/8 x 18 1/8 in.)
This is a horizontal sepia-toned photograph of a painting of Persepolis, an ancient Persian city. The image shows lions roaming the ruins. A lion and lioness stand on stone pavers in the foreground. In the middle ground are a set of wide, but shallow stone stairs, which lead to an upper level of the ruins. Another lioness walks up the stairs. A few sprouts of vegetation emerge from cracks in the stone. On the flat area at the top of the steps are structural ruins with lamassu sculptures. Near the ruins are two tall columns, with a single lion walking between them. The distant view includes hills to our left and more tall columns to our right.
Vatichino
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.