A fine cast bronze lynx head, Khurasan, 11th-12th century

cast in the form of a smiling feline with open mouth and protruding tongue, pointed ears and whiskers, the body and head pierced and engraved with palmette scrolls, mounted on customised metal stand

Invested with characteristic vigour and humour, this is one of a classic Khurasanian type, of which examples can be found in major public and private collections, notably the Hermitage (Pope and Ackermann 1938-9, vol. VI, pl.1304; Ward 1993, fig.3, p.12; Amsterdam 1999, no.202, p.228), The David Collection (von Folsach 2001, no.471, p.302), The Louvre (Pope and Ackermann 1938-9, vol. VI, pl.1297; Paris 1977, no.348, p.165), The Cleveland Museum of Art (Du Ry, C., Art of Islam, New York, 1970, p.95) and the monumental version in the Metropolitan Museum, dated A.H.577 or 579 [A.D.1181 or 1183] (The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Islamic World, New York, 1987, fig.27, 40-41).