Cat
Date:
1991 BC
Medium:
Egyptian alabaster (calcite), rock crystal, copper
Dimensions:
11.4 cm (4 1/2 inches)
Credit Line:
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1990.
Object number:
1990.01.59.1
The cat first appears in painting and relief at the end of the Old Kingdom, and this cosmetic jar is the earliest-known three-dimensional representation of the animal in Egyptian art. The sculptor demonstrates a keen understanding of the creature's physical traits, giving the animal the alert, tense look of a hunter rather than the elegant aloofness seen in later representations. The rock-crystal eyes, lined with copper, enhance the impression of readiness.
On View
On view