Roman
A Roman marble lion trapezophoros, circa 2nd century AD
Marble
Height: 59.3 cm
Further images
The table or throne leg is carved in the form of a lion seated back on its haunches. The head is surrounded with a full mane of voluminous curls, falling...
The table or throne leg is carved in the form of a lion seated back on its haunches. The head is surrounded with a full mane of voluminous curls, falling down to the shoulders. The face is naturalistic and expressively detailed with the mouth wide open; the now missing tongue probably originally fell in a sweeping, s-shaped curve almost to the chest. Part of the fangs are preserved. A double, vertical row of curls extend down the powerfully carved chest, from the neck to the stomach. The upper parts of the front and hind legs are preserved. There are the remains of a pillar on the back and a short rectangular plinth on which the lion sits.
Provenance
With Wladimir Rosenbaum (1894 - 1984), Ascona, SwitzerlandPrivate collection F.H., Ascona, Switzerland, acquired before 1984
Cahn, Basel, Switzerland, Auktion 5, 16 September 2010, lot 263
Private collection, Switzerland