Ballgame Palma
Unknown Artist
c. 900–1100
Medium
stone, pigment traces
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.427,"width":0.083,"depth":0.196}}
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener
Accession Number
1990.249
About this artwork
In art, ballplayers are shown wearing palmas atop hip protectors like one displayed nearby. The palma covers the chest, as if to insulate it from bruising encounters with the rubber ball. The stone sculptures are too heavy for wear but may mimic the shape of lighter-weight gear used during play. This elegant, fan-shaped palma is adorned with scrolls that form grotesque heads in profile. Traces of blue indicate that like many ancient sculptures it was brightly painted.