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• 1 2024-03-28T13:30:36-07:00 Why was this Ewer made and how was it used? 11 plain 2024-08-18T09:27:53-07:00 Erica Belden, Class of 2026, College of the Holy Cross
  
  
  This ewer was made for the transportation of liquids. Ewers from this time period were used to transport wine for drinking and water for bathing. These objects could be used daily for diverse needs. The Ewer in Chicken Shape in the National Museum of Vietnamese History, Hanoi, Vietnam, makes a nice comparison, both in terms of shape and style, to the Worcester Art Museum's ewer.
  
  Many portable artworks were made in the shape of animals, such as the Reclining Cat, made in Greater Iran in the 1100s or 1200s. While these household objects do not serve the same function, they share an artistic impulse to mimic the form of a living creature.
• 1 2024-03-28T13:31:14-07:00 Why was the Reclining Cat made, and how was it used? 7 plain 2024-08-15T10:48:36-07:00 Audrey Wang, Class of 2025, College of the Holy Cross
  
  The sculpture has no obvious practical use. However, scholars have argued that it could be a pumice stone holder. Some of these figurines also contain lead, making them very heavy, so they could have also been weights. This cat sculpture may also have been created as an object of art, designed to beautify and add sophistication to its surroundings. Wealthy individuals or patrons of the arts displayed such pieces in their homes or gardens to show their refined taste and cultural stature. Other bronze sculptures of lions and cats made in the Seljuq were made to be incense burners, but WAM's cat is not pierced and could not have been used in this way.
  With their enigmatic presence, cats have been revered in many cultures for their grace, agility, and perceived mystical qualities. In Seljuq Iran, the sculpture could have symbolized protection, wisdom, or prosperity, serving as a talisman or an emblem of good fortune. Its presence in a household or public space might have been believed to bring benevolent influences or ward off evil spirits. In Islam, cats are considered clean. 
  
  The inscriptions and motifs adorning the sculpture suggest it was also a medium for intellectual or cultural expression. It could have served as a tangible representation of literary themes, philosophical ideas, or religious beliefs. Similar objects functioned as conversation pieces, sparking discourse among the educated and the elite.
  
  It's possible that the cat sculpture was commissioned to commemorate a specific event, individual, or achievement. In this context, it would serve as a lasting tribute, embodying the values or memories it was meant to preserve. Exquisite artworks like this sculpture were also used as prestigious gifts, exchanged among rulers, dignitaries, and wealthy merchants to cement alliances, honor agreements, or express respect and admiration. Its craftsmanship would have made it a highly valued offering. This particular sculpture was probably owned by an aristocrat, but may not have been fancy enough to be a diplomatic gift.
  
  Few domestic interiors of the period survive, but below is the interior of a madrasa, or religious school, commissioned by a Seljuq vizier.
  
• 1 2024-03-28T13:30:33-07:00 Reclining Cat (1949.20) 7 plain 2024-09-16T14:49:42-07:00 34.353, 62.204 Audrey Wang, Class of 2025, College of the Holy Cross
  
  
   

  The Reclining Cat (1949.20) is located in the Asian Gallery (106).
  
  Cast in medieval Iran, this cat reclines with its forepaws extended, a pose that alludes to its sophistication. Artisans in Iran in the 1100s and 1200s were masters of metal, often using bronze (copper-based alloys). This complex process involved melting and molding the metal, then enhancing it with fine copper inlays for a striking contrast. Such craftsmanship was not just a show of skill but a reflection of the value that society placed on artistic metalwork. Copper is especially noticeable in the cat’s expressive eyes and eyebrows, which stand out for their lifelike quality and detail. The cat turns its head to watch us intently. Its engravings both emulate a domestic cat’s tactile fur and convey a texture of luxury and refinement. This object, likely a household item of significance, also makes us wonder about the role of the cat in medieval Islamic domestic culture. This sculpture suggests the many medieval Iranian households that might be adorned with living cats, whose bright eyes tracked the movements of the humans living alongside them. Its metallic media also suggests the bustling centers of trade in the Seljuq territories of Iran, between which caravans traversed long distances, carrying precious metals among other goods.
  
   

• 1 media/coronation-of-malik-shah-i-15353.jpg 2024-03-28T13:30:54-07:00 What does the Reclining Cat tell us about the medieval globe? 6 image_header 2024-04-14T14:33:33-07:00 Audrey Wang, College of the Holy Cross, Class of 2025
  
  The reclining cat sculpture offers a glimpse into the Seljuq era's vibrant cultural mosaic. With its masterful bronze casting and copper inlay, the piece underscores the artistic excellence of the time and its Persian, Turkic, and Islamic influences.
  
  This epoch, characterized by its economic dynamism and the Seljuq dynasty's enthusiastic patronage of the arts, was a crucible for intellectual, artistic, and scientific breakthroughs. The detailed craftsmanship and embedded inscriptions of the sculpture suggest a society steeped in a quest for knowledge, spiritual exploration, and appreciation for the natural world, including the domestic animal we still cherish today -- the cat.