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Scene of Animal Husbandry

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

The motifs of a herdsman leading a bull through a thicket and a man assisting at the birth of a calf were most common in Egyptian art during the Old and Middle Kingdoms (before 1800 B.C.). It is likely that they were known to the carvers of these two reliefs indirectly through sources such as master pattern books.

CULTURE Egyptian
MEDIUM Limestone, pigment
  • Possible Place Collected: Thebes (El-Assasif), Egypt
  • DATES ca. 670-650 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY late Dynasty 25 to early Dynasty 26
    PERIOD Late Third Intermediate Period to early Late Period
    DIMENSIONS 5 5/8 x 10 1/16 in. (14.3 x 25.6 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 55.3.1a-b
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION a-man; b-bull. Fragment of painted limestone raised relief. At left, man wearing curled wig leading bull. At right, behind bull, section of papyrus thicket with portion of background painted blue. Head of man turned back towards bull. Colors, red and pale blue. Condition: Incomplete and fragile. Man preserved only to waist. Of bull, only portion of head and major part of horns preserved. Upper right section missing small chips. Stone cracked across wig of man.
    CAPTION Egyptian. Scene of Animal Husbandry, ca. 670-650 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment, 5 5/8 x 10 1/16 in. (14.3 x 25.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 55.3.1a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.55.3.1a-b_wwg8.jpg)
    IMAGE installation, West Wing gallery 8 installation, CUR.55.3.1a-b_wwg8.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2006
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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