Egyptian Cast Bronze Figure of Harpokrates

Egypt, Ptolemaic period, ca. 332 to 30 BCE. A solid cast-bronze figurine depicting the child god Harpokrates, from the Egyptian "Her-pa-khered," literally "Horus the Child," seated nude with bent legs and feet planted atop an integral rectangular plinth. His left arm hangs to his side, and he holds his right hand to his mouth as befits the god of silence. His youthful visage exhibits almond eyes, a perky nose, full lips drawn into a slight smile, and a curled sidelock of youth draped on one side. He wears a nemes wig cover with two frontal lappets and a frontal uraeus, and a hemhem - also hemhemet or Atef - crown on top consisting of a trio of "mw" crowns topped with sun discs and flanked with ostrich feathers. Lustrous brown patina envelopes the figure with scattered areas of green and blue-green patina adding a touch of color. Size: 1.5" W x 5.4" H (3.8 cm x 13.7 cm)

Harpokrates (also Harpocrates) was, in many ways, one of the most popular deities in the Egyptian pantheon for centuries on end. The offspring of Osiris and Isis, Harpokrates was originally thought to be a protective deity, warding dangerous magic and creatures away from the wielder of his effigy. His depiction as a child was a common sight in ancient Egypt as infantile gods were favored to their adult characterizations from roughly the Third Intermediate Period on into Greco-Roman times. Created mostly as temple votives, child gods were thought to have a higher concentration of power and influence, thus making for a stronger prayer request when left as an offering.

References to Harpokrates appeared in classical literature, including Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 277 (Roman mythographer c. 2nd century CE) and of course Ovid's Metamorphoses as we see in the following passage, "She saw before her bed, or seemed to see as in a dream, great (Egyptian goddess) Isis with her train of holy deities. Upon her brow there stood the crescent moon-horns, garlanded with glittering heads of golden grain, and grace of royal dignity: and at her side . . . (Harpocrates) the god who holds his finger to his lips for silence's sake." (Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.688 ff - trans. Melville - Roman epic ca. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE).

Provenance: private Toronto, Ontario, Canada collection, by descent, acquired in Egypt in 1894 to 1896

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#167165
Condition Report: Intact and excellent with nice encrustations and lovely patina.