Object Description
An antique Italian Grand Tour sculpture after the Lion of Lucerne.
Dating to circa 1830, this period model is thought to have been made as a souvenir or a sample of the work by sculpture Bertel Thorvaldsen.
The expertly carved hard stone displays excellent detail and a highly polished finish, in a contemporary style placed on a complimentary alabaster base.
This depiction is much like the original with the most prominent features of the face of the lion expressing death, the form of the shield, the spear, and the spear impaled into the lion.
The slight discolouration gives the sculpture a characterful time worn look perfect for homes looking to add charm and appreciate its history.
Lion of Lucerne
The original sculpture of the Lion of Lucerne is a monumental work of art sculpted into a rocky cliff in Lucerne, Switzerland.
The dying lion commemorates the Swiss guardsmen who died defending the king of France, in 1792, during the French Revolution.
Officer Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen happened to be on leave at home in Lucerne on that fateful day. He requested the statue was erected in commemoration of the soldiers.
Today, it impresses visitors from all over the world and seen as both a memorial and work of art.
The sculpture was designed by the famous Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen, and became a reality in just over a year before being unveiled in 1821.