Monkey playing the lyre and carrying a dish on its head

Ptolemaic Period

332–30 B.C.

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 134

Monkeys performing human activities are a frequent theme. This particular example where the monkey-musician bears a dish on its head is unusual. The dish is slightly spouted, suggesting it was meant for contents that could be poured.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Monkey playing the lyre and carrying a dish on its head
Period: Ptolemaic Period
Date: 332–30 B.C.
Geography: From Egypt
Medium: Cupreous metal
Dimensions: H. 6.5 × W. 2.9 × D. 3.3 cm (2 9/16 × 1 1/8 × 1 5/16 in.)
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1958
Object Number: 58.76.3
Curatorial Department: Egyptian Art

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