This magnificent statue of the last, great Assyrian King, Ashurbanipal, in San Francisco Civic Center is by Assyrian artist Fred Parhad, done between 1987 1988. Standing 15 foot (4.6 M) tall, it is the first large scale piece of this important, historical figure, who ruled between 669 to 631 BCE. It was presented to the city of San Francisco by the Assyrian Foundation for the Arts and the Assyrian people, on the 210th anniversary of American sovereignty. There was some criticism from fellow Assyrian for this depiction, not for Ashurbanipal long hair and earrings, but for his holding the lion cub in one hand and the clay tablet in the other. As Parhad explained, the hair and earrings, along with a dagger are accurate, but the cub and tablet are his own doing, to represent Assyrian advanced hunting techniques at the time along with the introduction of writing. As enjoyed on 27 March 2024, found between the Asian Art Museum and the library.
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