Egyptian Bronze Figure of Bastet

Egyptian Bronze Figure of Bastet, 26th Dynasty, 664-525 BC. A cast bronze standing figure of the cat-headed goddess Bastet, portrayed striding forward and clad in a long close-fitting garment detailed with incised ornament. The goddess holds an aegis surmounted by a cat-headed finial in her left hand, while a curved basket suspends from the crook of the same arm. Her right arm raised to grasp an attribute now absent, likely originally a sistrum or ritual rattle associated with her cult. The feline head modeled with alert ears and idealized facial features. Rich brown and green patina. Bastet, one of the most beloved deities of ancient Egypt, was associated with protection, fertility, music, and domestic life.

Ex CNG 43, 24 September 1997, lot 3071. H. 88mm..