Cosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a Cat

Cosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a Cat

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Egyptian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a CatCosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a CatCosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a CatCosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a CatCosmetic Vessel in the Shape of a Cat

The Met collection of ancient Egyptian art consists of approximately 30,000 objects of artistic, historical, and cultural importance, dating from about 300,000 BCE to the 4th century CE. A signifcant percentage of the collection is derived from the Museum's three decades of archaeological work in Egypt, initiated in 1906 in response to increasing interest in the culture of ancient Egypt.