Artwork Page for Winged Pectoral Scarab

Details / Information for Winged Pectoral Scarab

Winged Pectoral Scarab

664–525 BCE

Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE), Dynasty 26

Medium
deep turquoise faience
Measurements
Overall: 7 cm (2 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1914.766
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

To create connections between their work and ancient Egypt, European and American jewelers conducted careful research, looking at sources including hieroglyphs in funerary art and architecture. The1924 Cartier scarab brooch was directly inspired by representations of the dung beetle, which also stood for Khepri, a sun deity of resurrection, while the 1927 gateway brooch echoes the silhouette of ancient Egyptian temple entrances. Beauty companies like Bourjois even adopted ancient Egyptian motifs for their marketing and packaging, suggesting the elegance of their brand through sensationalized elements of ancient Egyptian art.
A sculpture glazed in deep turquoise faience depicts a winged scarab beetle in three detached pieces. The central oval body features a carved head and vertical grooves along its back. Flanking the body are tapered horizontal wings etched with fine lines representing feathers. Small circular holes are pierced through the wings and body for attachment. The glossy blue-green surface is worn with a pitted texture throughout.

Winged Pectoral Scarab

664–525 BCE

Egypt, Late period (715–332 BCE), Dynasty 26

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