Bronze reproduction of an impression taken by the Ateliers d'art de la Rmn-GP on the original work courtesy of the Louvre Museum in February 2020.
The demon Pazuzu became a particularly popular figure in the Assyrian pantheon as early as the first millennium BC. He is presented in hybrid form : half man, half animal. An inscription on the backside of the statue reads : "I am Pazuzu, son of Hanpa, king of the evil spirits of the air, which issue violently from mountains, causing much havoc!" Associated with ill winds bearing disease, he can protect from other demons because he is their king. This statuette was long recognised as being the most complete representation of the demon, and has since become a modern celebrity. Dating back to his key role in the 1973 film, The Exorcist, Pazuzu has become a familiar figure in manga, cartoons (Simpson Horror Show), comic books (Adèle Blanc-sec The Demon of the Eiffel Tower) or album covers (Gorillaz).
Assyria, northern modern-day Iraq
Early first millennium BC.
Paris, Musée du Louvre
Bronze reproduction after the original
