Lot 307
Central Europe, Italy, Venice, ca. 12th century CE. A remarkable Romanesque stylobate lion carved from dense Istrian limestone, originating from the Venetian region. This powerful sculpture once supported an architectural column on its back, perhaps forming part of a colonnade or portico - or at the entrance to a civic or ecclesiastical building. The lion is shown recumbent on an integral plinth, its muscular body carved in the round with a pronounced mane and stylized paws. The back has a circular platform with recessed iron and lead rods inside to anchor and reinforce the column. The head is highly polished - likely worn smooth over centuries of human contact. Symbolizing strength, protection, and civic virtue, lion stylobates were popular in medieval Venetian architecture as both structural and symbolic guardians. The stone is consistent with Istrian limestone, often used historically for architectural sculpture, fountains, columns, and lion statues, especially in Venetian territories and across the Adriatic, Size: 23" L x 10" W x 22" H (58.4 cm x 25.4 cm x 55.9 cm)
Lion stylobates - sculptural bases carved in the form of recumbent lions - were a prominent architectural feature in Romanesque and early Gothic architecture, especially in northern Italy and the Adriatic coastal regions under Venetian influence. These sculpted lions typically supported columns at the entrances of churches, civic buildings, and cloisters, symbolizing strength, vigilance, and divine protection. The lion, long a symbol of authority and guardianship in both classical and Christian iconography, was believed to ward off evil and assert the moral and spiritual fortitude of the institution it adorned. Stylobate lions were often placed in pairs, flanking doorways or porches, with their backs flattened or recessed to accommodate the weight of a vertical column. They drew on classical precedents but were reinterpreted through the lens of medieval aesthetics - sometimes abstracted or fantastical in form. In Venetian architecture, particularly from the 11th to 13th centuries, these lions also echoed the civic identity of Venice itself, invoking the winged lion of Saint Mark, the city's patron saint. Their enduring presence in architectural fragments and sculptural collections speaks to their dual role as both functional and symbolic cornerstones of medieval design.
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Provenance: private Nashville, Tennessee, USA collection
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#195104
- Condition: Heavy weathering throughout as shown, with a large and old loss to front paw / base. Deep erosion holes and chips. Softening to details. The verso of mane has an old repair with a plaster infill. The top of the head is extremely polished and smooth. This is a heavy and substantial piece.
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| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |