Egyptian Bronze Figure of Cat

Late Period to Ptolemaic Period, c. 664-30 BC, Egypt

This exquisite small-sized bronze statuette depicts the goddess Bastet in her feline form, embodying fertility, protection, and divine grace. The cat is portrayed seated on a flat base, with its forepaws aligned and its tail elegantly curling forward around its right side, the tip extending beyond the paws. The naturalistic rendering is evident in its slender frame, angular jawline, large, alert eyes, and upright ears. 

In ancient Egypt, Bastet was venerated as a goddess of fertility, pleasure, and health. Devotees seeking to conceive or ward off illness often made pilgrimages to her temples in Bubastis or Memphis, offering votive objects such as bronze cat statuettes. Cats symbolized her divine essence and were mummified as acts of devotion. These offerings were deposited in temples or catacombs, such as those at Saqqara and Bubastis. Bastet's role evolved over time; initially depicted as a fierce lioness symbolizing ferocity, she later assumed the more approachable form of a domestic cat. This transformation mirrored her shift from a warrior goddess to a gentle protector of home and family, though she retained her status as a defender of Ra and the pharaoh.

Bronze cat statuettes like this one were common in the Late and Ptolemaic Periods, often dedicated in temples or placed in tombs. They remain enduring symbols of Bastet’s benevolence and the reverence the ancient Egyptians held for their feline companions. This piece serves as both a remarkable artifact of devotion and a testament to the artistry of ancient Egyptian bronze casting.

Good condition. Intact. Age-related wear. Mottled green and black patina, with deep-seated green and red corrosion. Size approx. 3,3cm x 1,7cm x 1,1cm.

Provenance: English private collection

For a similar examples see:

Cat sculpture, Harvard Art Museum, Accession Number: 1932.56.3 (https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/303819)

Cat, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 04.2.812 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/570737)

Figure, The British Museum, Accession Number: 9,9,86,113 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/X__5316)