Page 62 - Trends

Culture

Statues of protective lions pre-dated the use of gargoyles, control and superiority over these mighty
animals in a bid to establish their strength
which we would later see on cathedrals throughout Europe. and dominance over all, including these
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“This exciting temporary exhibit is de- senses lead inward to one’s inner senses Pharaohs, especially during the New
voted to Ancient Egyptian cats, from the which one hopes will lead to increased Kingdom period between 1550 BCE to
time of the pharaohs,” Massumeh Farhad, knowledge, memory and understanding,” 712 BCE, were displayed on murals as or-
chief curator of Islamic Art and the Freer/ DGGHG )DUKDG ganizing lion hunts; royal places kept cap-
Sackler Galleries for Ancient Near East- tured lions and other large felines in zoo-
ern Art at the Smithsonian Institution, Lions, Tigers: symbols of power OLNH HQFORVXUHV RQ WKHLU SDODFH SURSHUW\
told TRENDS during the exhibition’s re- Whether hunting for food or protecting Image after image displays these pow-
FHQW SUHVV SUHYLHZ their cubs, felines — and most espe- HUIXO V\PEROV WKURXJKRXW WKH PDJQLÀFHQW
“The reason we became interested in cially lions and tigers — captured the 6DFNOHU H[KLELWLRQ
the exhibition is because Mr Sackler was LPDJLQDWLRQ RI WKH $QFLHQW (J\SWLDQV “Look at this large cat with paw over
extremely interested in Egyptian art, so They were venerated because of their LWV RWKHU SDZ LW LV PHDQW WR SURMHFW FRQ-
much so that he traveled to Egypt three power, ferocity and speed, and also ÀGHQFH µ VDLG $QWRQLHWWD &DWDQ]DULWL
WLPHV GXULQJ KLV OLIHWLPH +HUH LQ WKH PX- WKHLU JUDFHIXO PDMHVW\ the curatorial fellow at the Smithso-
seum, the Islamic galleries promote the Pharaohs and Egyptian kings used the QLDQ·V )UHHU DQG 6DFNOHU *DOOHULHV
theme of ‘engaging in the senses’,” said imagery of felines to convey the divine, “Think of the lions’ paws you’ve seen
)DUKDG ´7KH\ H[DPLQH KRZ VRXQG VLJKW DORQJ ZLWK UR\DOW\ DQG VXSHULRULW\ 0DQ\ RQ WKH IHHW RI FKDLUV µ VKH VDLG ´7KHVH
WDVWH DQG WRXFK FDQ DIIHFW D SHUVRQ 7KHVH kings felt the need to demonstrate their were a symbol of status that indicated

62 TRENDS | February 2018