Reclining Cat Figurine Iran, Khurasan 12th century Bronze Museum Purchase, 1949.20 Cast in the form of a reclining cat with forepaws outstretched, the body of the figurine is decorated with carved cartouches filled with benedictory inscriptions, crescent motifs, and scrolls. Its eyes and eyebrows are inlaid with copper. While some scholars have argued that such figurines were used as pumice stone holders, others thought they were primarily ornamental. One recent example, however, has been found to contain lead, suggesting that they could have been used as weights.
Dionysos and Ariadne Floor Mosaic 3rd century A.D. Material: stone cubes (limestone & marble) embedded in lime mortar Antioch Excavation, 1936.25 This mosaic depicts Dionysos, god of wine, and his bride Ariadne. The ancient visitor entering the room was greeted by these two congenial divinities. The subject and the Greek inscription of the mosaic panels on both sides of Dionysos and Ariadne suggest that these two busts are the divine host and hostess of the banquet about to begin in the rooms beyond.
Godfrey of Bouillon possibly Flemish or French about 1500 dyed wool The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, 2014.100
Shunsen Natori Japanese, 1886-1960 Shin Nigao Magazine: Issue 4, Sadayakko as Queen Artemis, October 1915 Published by: Nigaodo Woodblock print; ink and color on paper Museum purchase, 2024.167 Natori Shunsen, a master of shin hanga actor prints (yakusha-e), created this portrait for the 1915 issue of Shin Nigao, a magazine celebrating kabuki actors. The print features Sadayakko (1871-1946), a trailblazing actress who introduced traditional Japanese theater to Western audiences during her 1899 tour of Europe and the U.S. Her later performances fused Japanese and Western elements, exemplified by her costume for her role Queen Artemis, which was likely inspired by the Greek warrior-queen Artemisia of Halicarnassus, in the play Ikusagami. It combines a laurel wreath and robes reminiscent of those from Western antiquity, with kabuki's red and white kumadori makeup. These performances captivated audiences worldwide, earning admiration from artists like Pablo Picasso and Auguste Rodin.
Choice cuts from my return visit to the @worcesterartmuseum.bsky.social yesterday.
-12th c. Iranian bronze cat figurine
-mosaic of Dionysus & Ariadne from Antioch 3rd c. CE
-early 16th c. French/Flemish tapestry of Godfrey de Buillon
-20th c. Japanese print of actress playing Queen Artemisia
