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Ballgame Palma
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineBallgame Palma, c. 900–1100. Mexico, Gulf Coast, Classic Veracruz style (600-1100). Stone, pigment traces; overall: 42.7 x 8.3 x 19.6 cm (16 13/16 x 3 1/4 x 7 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener, 1990.249
