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Large Pair of Italian Pottery Medici Lion Figures

Offered by: Acroterion

Description
An exquisite pair of first half 20th century Italian ceramic lion figures of massive scale modeled after the 'Medici' lions originally at Villa Medici in Rome, and since 1789 at Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence, having white glazed bodies with shredded clay manes and upswept tails with shredded clay tassels, hand-painted eyes, noses, claws, and open mouths showing tongues and canines, with right front paws resting on a ball sitting on oval 'Attic' moulded plinth bases having blue sponge painted tops and blue brush painted section borders. An identical pair to these lions were in the collection of Italian-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti at Yester House, East Lothian, Scotland.

More Information

Origin:	Italy
Period:	1900-1919
Materials:	Faience
Condition:	Excellent. Light glaze craquelure from age, minor factory flaws in manes, small glaze loss on one of the lions noses, no chips or cracks. Presents beautifully.
Creation Date:	First half 20th-century
Number of Pieces:	2-3
Styles / Movements:	Classical, Baroque, Neoclassical
Incollect Reference #:	283310

Dimensions

W.	22 in;	H.	19.5 in;	D.	15 in;
W.	55.88 cm;	H.	49.53 cm;	D.	38.1 cm;

Message from Seller:

Acroterion, the company, founded in late 2012, is by appointment in the historic Hudson Valley of upstate New York specializing in exceptional fine and decorative art from eastern to western, ancient to current; with a focus on the unique and timeless. The curated inventory is ever-changing and discriminately chosen by the founder and owner Randal Dawkins. Having a passion for fine objects and design from an early age, Mr. Dawkins graduated in 2004 from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London.