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MFA for Educators

Engage your students with the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to illustrate themes and concepts in any discipline.

Animal Body Language

  • Recumbant Anubis

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Recumbant Anubis

    30 B.C.–A.D 364

    Dimensions

    Overall: 4.4 x 7.3 x 2.5 cm (2 7/8 x 1 in.)

    Medium

    Faience

    Classification

    Sculpture

    Accession Number

    72.1598

    Collections
    The Ancient World More Info

    Description

    Brilliant blue-green glaze; couchant figure of jackal, (Anubis), with one ear broken.

    Multimedia

  • Pisote or dog effigy

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Pisote or dog effigy

    200 B.C.–A.D. 300

    Dimensions

    15.8 x 15 x 29.7 cm (6 1/4 x 5 7/8 x 11 11/16 in.)

    Medium

    Earthenware: dark red slip paint

    Classification

    Ceramics, Pottery, Earthenware

    Accession Number

    1995.707

    Collections
    Americas More Info

    Description

    Effigy vessel in the form of a standing Chihuahua dog or pisote (coatimundi), a tree-dwelling animal of Central America characterized by a pointed nose with rounded tip. The large, pointed ears, however, are more characteristic of the native Chihuahua canine. The animal's tail is replaced by a large, funnel-shaped spout. Black fire-clouding is found on the animal's right side.

    Multimedia

  • Kirin

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Kirin

    early 19th century

    Takaoka Ikkan, Japanese (Nagoya), 1817–1893

    Dimensions

    3.2 x 3.6 x 2.7 cm (1 1/4 x 1 7/16 x 1 1/16 in.)

    Medium

    Stained cherry wood and horn

    Classification

    Netsuke

    Accession Number

    11.23252

    Collections
    Asia More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Hare Washing

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Hare Washing

    late 18th century

    Masanao, Japanese

    Dimensions

    2.2 x 4.3 x 3.1 cm (7/8 x 1 11/16 x 1 1/4 in.)

    Medium

    Stained ivory and horn

    Classification

    Netsuke

    Accession Number

    11.23356

    Collections
    Asia More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Crouching monkey

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Crouching monkey

    late 18th–early 19th century

    Tomokazu, Japanese

    Dimensions

    3.0 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm (1 3/16 x 1 3/16 x 1 3/16 in.)

    Medium

    Stained boxwood, eyes inlaid in horn

    Classification

    Netsuke

    Accession Number

    47.552

    Collections
    Asia More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Tiger Licking Tail

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Tiger Licking Tail

    early to mid-19th century

    Tomokazu, Japanese

    Dimensions

    3 x 3.8 x 2.8 cm (1 3/16 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/8 in.)

    Medium

    Stained boxwood, eyes inlaid in horn, ivory teeth

    Classification

    Netsuke

    Accession Number

    11.23599

    Collections
    Asia More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Sleeping Cat and Butterflies from...

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Sleeping Cat and Butterflies from the album Birds and Flowers

    first half of the 19th century

    Artist Unknown, Japanese

    Dimensions

    Image: 18 x 16.1 cm (7 1/16 x 6 5/16 in.)

    Medium

    18-fold album; ink and color on silk

    Classification

    Paintings

    Accession Number

    01.8477.1

    Collections
    Asia More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Sleeping Cat

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Sleeping Cat

    1885–89 (Meiji 18–22)

    Kawanabe Kyôsai (Gyôsai), Japanese, 1831–1889

    Dimensions

    Uchiwa-e; 22.4 x 22.6 cm (8 13/16 x 8 7/8 in.)

    Medium

    Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

    Classification

    Prints

    Accession Number

    21.5570

    Collections
    Asia More Info

    Description

    MFA impressions: 21.5570 (fan), 47.47 (square, light background), 47.48 (square, dark background)

    Multimedia

  • Two Studies of a Greyhound; verso...

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Two Studies of a Greyhound; verso: Profile of a Girl

    John Singer Sargent, American, 1856–1925

    Dimensions

    Sheet: 11 x 18.1 cm (4 5/16 x 7 1/8 in.)

    Medium

    Graphite pencil on paper

    Classification

    Drawings

    Accession Number

    28.941.4

    Collections
    Prints and Drawings More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Sleeping Cat

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Sleeping Cat

    Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, French (born in Switzerland), 1859–1923

    Dimensions

    Platemark: 11.9 x 23.4 cm (4 11/16 x 9 3/16 in.)

    Medium

    Softground etching, aquatint, and drypoint, printed in yellow and black from two zinc plates

    Classification

    Prints

    Accession Number

    42.44

    Collections
    Prints and Drawings More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Decoy: Miniature sleeping black...

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Decoy: Miniature sleeping black duck

    1800–1900

    Dimensions

    3.81 x 9.52 x 5.08 cm (1 1/2 x 3 3/4 x 2 in.)

    Medium

    Wood; Paint

    Classification

    Sculpture

    Accession Number

    59.947

    Collections
    Americas More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Animal effigy pitcher

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Animal effigy pitcher

    about 1870s

    Dimensions

    19.37 x 16.51 x 22.86 cm (7 5/8 x 6 1/2 x 9 in.)

    Medium

    Earthenware with white and brown slip paint

    Classification

    Ceramics, Pottery, Earthenware

    Accession Number

    79.100

    Collections
    Americas More Info

    Description

    This object is a gourd-shaped, hand-formed pitcher. Its body is spherical, and the neck above the body comes forward almost entirely and then forms the shape of an animal's head with two ears on either side, two eyes and a spout. The body appears to be larger on the right side than on the left. The object is made from light brown clay and is painted and burnished. The piece is painted cream with black geometric designs encompassing the body and the head. The black geometric painting on buff ground reads as positive/negative interplay. The neck is ringed with a double line, which is perforated by a spirit break. The eyes, ears, and spout are outlined and lines cross over the face. A two-centimeter wide band of red-orange paint encircles the base.

    Multimedia

  • West Springfield, Massachusetts (...

    Slide Notes

    Details

    West Springfield, Massachusetts (sleeping calf)

    1978

    Nicholas Nixon, American, born in 1947

    Dimensions

    Sheet: 20.32 x 25.4 cm (8 x 10 in.)

    Medium

    Photograph, gelatin silver print

    Classification

    Photographs

    Accession Number

    1981.97

    Collections
    Photography More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Sleeping Puppy

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Sleeping Puppy

    about 1640

    Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, Dutch, 1606–1669

    Dimensions

    Platemark: 3.8 x 8.1 cm (1 1/2 x 3 3/16 in.) Sheet: 4 x 8.3 cm ( 1 9/16 x 3 1/4 in.)

    Medium

    Etching and drypoint

    Classification

    Prints

    Accession Number

    1981.397

    Collections
    Prints and Drawings More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Study of a Sheep Lying Down

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Study of a Sheep Lying Down

    1857–92

    Joseph Foxcroft Cole, American, 1837–1892

    Dimensions

    Sheet: 23.1 x 30.6 cm (9 1/8 x 12 1/16 in.)

    Medium

    Graphite pencil heightened with white on blue paper

    Classification

    Drawings

    Accession Number

    93.86

    Collections
    Prints and Drawings More Info

    Description

    Multimedia

  • Spout in the form of a panther...

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Spout in the form of a panther's head

    Dimensions

    Height: 4 cm (1 9/16 in.)

    Medium

    Bronze

    Classification

    Vessels

    Accession Number

    01.7519

    Collections
    The Ancient World More Info

    Description

    The animal's mouth is wide open, and the ears are turned back. The face is framed by leaf-shaped locks. A replica, of less good casting, is in the Museo Archeologico in Venice. Brown patina.

    Multimedia

  • Crouching Lion

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Crouching Lion

    18th century

    Dimensions

    3.3 x 4.7 cm (1 5/16 x 1 7/8 in.)

    Medium

    Amber

    Classification

    Sculpture

    Accession Number

    02.204

    Collections
    Europe More Info

    Description

    Miniature carved amber lion holding a globe between his front paws. This small figure probably once rested on top of a lidded container.

    Multimedia

  • Dog Drinking Vessel

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Dog Drinking Vessel

    18th century

    Dimensions

    12 x 16 cm (4 3/4 x 6 5/16 in.)

    Medium

    Glass

    Classification

    Glass

    Accession Number

    03.487

    Collections
    Europe More Info

    Description

    White glass.

    Multimedia

  • Hound dog

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Hound dog

    About 1749–54

    Charles Gouyn's Factory, St. James's, London, 1749–1759

    Dimensions

    11.75 cm (4 5/8 in.)

    Medium

    Soft-paste porcelain

    Classification

    Ceramics, Porcelain

    Accession Number

    30.365

    Collections
    Europe More Info

    Description

    Probably Girl-in-a-Swing factory. Figure of a dog in white seated on an oblong base.

    Multimedia

  • Group of poodle and puppies

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Group of poodle and puppies

    about 1825

    Rockingham Manufactory

    Dimensions

    5.71 x 5.71 x 8.89 cm (2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 3 1/2 in.)

    Medium

    Porcelain

    Classification

    Ceramics

    Accession Number

    1977.282

    Collections
    Europe More Info

    Description

    White animal on red cushion with three puppies.

    Multimedia

  • Pug dog

    Slide Notes

    Details

    Pug dog

    about 1750

    Chelsea Manufactory, England

    Dimensions

    8.89 cm (3 1/2 in.)

    Medium

    Ceramic

    Classification

    Ceramics, Porcelain

    Accession Number

    1988.739

    Collections
    Europe More Info

    Description

    Pug dog lying on white cushion with puce edges and yellow tassels at corners. Wears green collar.

    Multimedia