Antique French Bronze Sculpture of The Medici Lion 19th C

This is a beautiful antique French Grand Tour bronze sculpture of The Medici Lion, circa 1870 in date.

The sculptures depict a standing male lion looking to one side with a sphere or ball under one paw, raised on a stepped rectangular bronze and marble base.

This high-quality hot cast solid bronze was produced using the traditional "lost wax" process, otherwise known as the "cire perdue" method.

This is a splendid antique bronze sculpture which is sure to receive the maximum amount of attention wherever it is placed.

Provenance:
The Christopher Hodsoll Collection.

Condition:
In excellent condition with no dings, dents or signs of repair. Please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:
Height 16 x Width 21.5 x Depth 10

Dimensions in inches:
Height 6 inches x Width 8 inches x Depth 4 inches

The Medici lions
are a pair of marble sculptures of lions: one of which is Roman, dating to the 2nd century AD, and the other a 16th-century pendant. Both were by 1598 placed at the Villa Medici, Rome. Since 1789 they have been displayed at the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence. The sculptures depict standing male lions with a sphere or ball under one paw, looking to the side.

Copies of the Medici lions have been made and publicly installed in over 30 other locations, and smaller versions made in a variety of media; Medici lion has become the term for the type.
A similar Roman lion sculpture, of the 1st century AD, is known as the Albani lion, and is now in the Louvre. Here, the stone used for the ball is different from the basalt body. Both may derive from a Hellenistic original.

Our reference: A3258