Metropolitan Museum of Arts Hippo 'William'

Metropolitan Museum of Arts Hippo 'William'

Offering an unusual Color and material of the 'William' The Hippo, reminiscent of the original blue Egyptian piece. This well-formed statuette of a hippopotamus (popularly called "William") demonstrates the Egyptian artist's appreciation for the natural world. Sold by the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Store in 1994 as stamped on the base. The piece is unusual as they are mostly found in blue ceramic. This is made of a heavy metal or metal like substance and is done in a gun metal finish. I couldn't find another like it on the internet.

"SOME HIPPO HISTORY & FACTS"

"William" is a bright blue hippopotamus just under 8 inches high located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian galleries. He is made of faience, a ceramic material that is fired at a high temperature, and is decorated with lotus blossoms, which represent the hippo's creative forces in nature. An Englishman, Captain H. M. Raleigh, and his family owned a picture of the hippopotamus, which they named William. In 1931 the captain wrote an article for the magazine Punch about his picture of William. The name caught on, and since that time the little blue hippo has been known as William.

This 'William' measures 7 1/2" in length and 4 1/2" tall. He is quite heavy and covered in outlines of river plants, symbolizing the marshes in which the animal lived. The Hippo is stamped in a square with a copyright symbol and MMA 1994 on the base. The piece is in very good condition with no damage. This was recently acquired at a NYC estate sale where there were many fine art objects.

Item ID: 1952

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$150 $120 USD SALE

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