The Family Who Raised Pet Lions (1970s CE)
It began in the summer of 1970 when Nina Berberov and her daughter Eva visited a zoo in Baku and discovered a sickly lion cub, that Eva initially mistook for a dying dog.
Animals
Objects depicting or inspired by animals, ranging from sculptures to decorative motifs. These works reflect humanity’s fascination with the natural world and its symbolic roles across cultures.
Ibis Eating a Lizard (100 BCE – 100 CE)
This Ibis, dating to around 100 BC to AD 100, blends exotic Egyptian symbolism with Roman artistic flair, offering a glimpse into the cultural exchanges of the ancient world.
Wild Boar Vessel (700–500 BCE)
The wild boar vessel is traditionally dated to between 700 and 500 BC and attributed to the Etruscan culture of ancient Italy. However, recent scientific analyses have complicated this attribution.
Composite Lion and Bull (1500–1000 BCE)
It depicts a mythical hybrid creature with two heads sharing a single body: one fierce, gaping lion head symbolizing power and aggression, and one calm bull head with horns representing fertility and strength.
Miniature Metate (700–1000 CE)
This miniature metate is a small, intricately carved stone grinding slab from Central Mexico, likely originating in Xochicalco (Morelos region) during the Epiclassic period.
Turtle Baby (c. 1910–1916 CE)
Far from being a static or purely decorative piece, the sculpture embodies a vivid moment of life and movement atop a turtle, evoking curiosity, joy, and the spontaneous energy of childhood.
Fragment of a Goat’s Head (c. 500–475 BCE)
What at first glance appears to be a simple fragment of a goat opens the door to questions about myth, movement, and meaning in early Greek art.
Black-Figure Amphora (c.540 BCE)
Produced in the workshops of Attica (the region around Athens), this black-figure amphora features nearly identical scenes on both sides: a central horseman flanked by pairs of standing figures, all framed within reserved red-clay panels beneath a decorative lotus-palmette frieze.
Double-Sided Votive Relief (305-30 BCE)
This small double-sided votive relief, also known as a sculptor's trial piece or model, is a finely carved limestone flake (ostracon) from ancient Egypt during the Ptolemaic dynasty (305–30 BCE).