This painted pottery vase depicts a kneeling woman holding a child poised to nurse in her lap, dating from the 18th Dynasty (circa 1550–1295 BCE).

Its small size—just 12.7 centimeters tall—and narrow opening indicate that it was likely intended to hold a precious, perishable substance, such as a cosmetic or medicine.

The subject, strongly reminiscent of the goddess Isis with her divine son Horus, may have conveyed a comforting or protective message in a variety of contexts, including funerary ones.

This charming piece (FGA-ARCH-EG-0634) is now part of the collection at the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art in Geneva, Switzerland.

Photo (resized): Grégory Maillot / © Fondation Gandur pour l’Art, Genève