A pair of Egyptian cats; France, c. 1970.

Pair of Egyptian cats; France, c. 1970.
Patinated bronze.
Signed “A.Tiot.”
Measurements: 63.5 x 23 x 35.5 cm (x2).
Crafted from cast bronze with a brown patina and embellished with gold collars, these sculptures are part of the Egyptian Revival movement, a historicist trend that reinterpreted the artistic legacy of Ancient Egypt through a modern sensibility. The pronounced frontality, compositional symmetry, and stylization of the forms evoke the canons of Pharaonic sculpture, while their meticulous execution reflects a decorative sensibility characteristic of the 20th century.The set depicts Bastet, one of the most revered deities in the Egyptian pantheon, associated with the protection of the home, fertility, motherhood, and harmony. Worshiped in the form of a cat or as a woman with a feline head, this goddess also symbolized protection and benevolence, which is why the cat attained significant religious and symbolic value in Ancient Egyptian culture.
Signed by the French sculptor A. Tiot and dated around 1970, these pieces are a representative example of the enduring influence of Egyptian aesthetics in 20th-century decorative arts. More than mere archaeological reproductions, they offer an idealized reinterpretation of the pharaonic imagination, combining fidelity to traditional iconography with a sculptural and ornamental language adapted to contemporary tastes.