Accession number
HCM 033
Creator
Ireland
Date made
15th century AD
Materials
Stone; limestone
Collection
Dimensions (cm)
Provenance
File of material relating to a sheela-na-gig. Includes photocopy of object description sheet including sketch of object (date unspecified). Find place is named as Caherelly Castle, county Limerick; photocopy of photographs of object (date unspecified); Hunt Museum collection survey form (4 December 1996); photocopy of extract from publication by Erich Neumann (and translated from German by Ralph Manheim), 'The Great Mother: An Analysis of the Archetype' (Princeton University Press, 1992); photocopy of extract from the 'Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland' (volume 77, 1947) comprising note by John Hunt, Senior, describing present object; paper by Jorgen Andersen entitled 'Temptation in Kilkea: Erotic subjects in mediaeval Ireland art' c. 1971; photocopy of extract from publication by Andersen, 'The Witch on the Wall: Medieval Erotic Sculpture in the British Isles' (Denmark: Rosenkilde and Bagger, 1977) which contains description of the sheela-na-gig. Image of present object forms front cover of the book; review of this publication by Tony O Riordan (c. 1978) taken from an unnamed newspaper; letter (c. August 1972) from Andersen, care of Gilmartin, Main Street, Loughrea, county Galway, to John Hunt, Senior, requesting permission to see present object; letter (23 August 1972) from Andersen to Hunt requesting a photograph of present object. Also, requests Hunts opinion about a sheela-na-gig at Bunratty Castle, county Clare, and outlines research he has done on sheela-na-gigs in the British Isles. A portion of this letter has been cut out; letter (7 February 1975) from Anthony Weir, Kilnatierney farm, Grey abbey, Newtownards, county Down, to John Hunt, Senior, outlining research he has done on sheela-na-gigs and names some he has visited; further letter (21 February 1975) from Weir to Hunt. Writes that the trouble with these objects is that 'everyone has different and quite reasonable opinions on them.' Encloses list of sheela-na-gigs he has located thus far. Refers to locations in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; photocopy of newspaper article from 'The Ireland Times' (9 July 1990) referring mostly to sheela-na-gigs in the National Museum of Ireland. On verso of the photocopy of newspaper article is photocopy of extract from unidentified publication (date unspecified) which comprises image of engraving for 'La Fontaine' by Charles Elsen and quotes from a letter published in 'The Ireland Times.' Both refer to women raising their skirts to drive away enemies; letter (18 February 1998) from John H. Sulzman (address withheld) to Michael Holland, Registrar, Hunt Museum, requesting information about present object. Encloses photocopy of extract from publication by Michael Dames entitled 'Mythical Ireland' (Thames & Hudson,1992) which refers to and contains image of the sheela-na-gig; further letter (28 December 1998) from Sulzman to Holland. Discusses his family link with the Caherelly area. Also encloses greeting card on the cover of which is a colour photograph of Caherelly Castle; letter (7 August 1998) from Susan Slater-Tanner, Department of Art History, Orange County Community College, Middletown, New York, to Holland, requesting permission to photograph the sheela-na-gig. Image may be included in thesis she is writing for Hunters College, New York. Annotation in Hollands hand states that colour prints and slides were taken (10 August 1998); letter (29 July 1998) from Holland to Doctor Barbara Freitag, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, Dublin City University. Writes that he understands she is working on the publication of Ireland sheela-na-gigs. Gives details of present object and encloses photocopy of extract from the publication by Dames mentioned above. Also, that Dames identifies the sheela-na-gig as 'The Housekeeper' but does not indicate the provenance of that appellation; reply (7 September 1998) from Freitag to Holland in response to invitation to see the present object.
Category
Place of collection
Technique
Copyright Attribution
Sculpture, Sheela-na-gig carving | Stone,limestone | 15th century AD | The Hunt Collection | PD
