William the hippo marks 100 years at the Met

Long before Fiona the hippo (born this year at Cincinnati Zoo) won American hearts, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired its unofficial mascot, William, a tiny faience hippo (1961-1878BC), from Middle Kingdom Egypt. This month, the Met is celebrating the 100th anniversary of William’s arrival, placing him in “conversation” in the Egyptian galleries with a larger earthenware hippo, made by the US ceramicist Carl Walters in 1936; the happy hippos are facing each other in two glass cases (until 1 April 2018). The Met is also hosting a celebration weekend (17-19 November), with a William-inspired cookie and cocktail.