Cleveland Museum of Art

Ibis Eating a Lizard

Date

100 BCE–100 CE

Medium

bronze, hollow cast

Culture

Italy, Rome, Roman Empire

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The ibis is an Egyptian bird, shown here standing firmly on both legs with a lizard in its beak. The bird rests on a two-tiered circular base, and a vertical stem with incised decoration extends above the ibis’s head. While an Egyptian animal, the image of the ibis devouring a lizard became common only in the Roman world, depicted in wall paintings and seen on Barbotine ware, a type of pottery. This sculpture may be unique, however, in showing this motif in the round. This sculpture was possibly used as a support for furniture, a candelabrum, or an incense burner.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.