#william100

[amnhnyc]

Due to its aggressive nature and unpredictability, the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is considered one of Africa's most dangerous animals. Ancient Egyptians knew and feared these massive mammals, too—and were inspired by them to create art like "William," the faience hippopotamus. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 1917, this blue figurine—which has become the institution's unofficial mascot—dates back to the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (~2000 BCE) and made of a ceramic material produced from quartz. Our life-size clay hippo model from 1909 wants to wish "William" the best in his 100th year at the Met! #William100.

[mkegoodchoices]

Peeking William #metmuseum #themet #peeking #william #hippo #blue #egyptianart #william100 #mascot (at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

[desayunando]

William, my longtime friend #Repost @metmuseum ・・・ In 1917, The Met acquired this small ancient faience hippopotamus. This hippo received the now-famous nickname, William, in 1931, and today William is the informal mascot of the Museum, beloved by museum-goers around the world. Help us celebrate William by using #William100 and stay tuned for special programming. #TheMet #TBT (at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)