STYLOPHORUS LION HEAD in carved Verona marble,... Lot 27

STYLOPHORUS LION HEAD in carved Verona marble, with well-defined nostrils, slightly elongated eyes and a wide-open mouth revealing fangs. His head is surrounded by a mane of wavy locks. Northern Italy, late 12th century, early 13th century. Traces of ancient restorations: deep hollows carved to receive the metal tenons that once held the lion's head to its body. Height: 41 cm - Width: 40 cm Depth: 71 cm (Fragment, traces of old restorations, homogeneous erosion, drilled underneath for pedestal) The use of colored marble and the fairly faithful representation of the lion's morphology correspond to the representations adopted in Northern Italy. Similar representations can be seen on the stylobate lions installed in front of the cathedrals of Cremona, Parma, Modena and the basilica of Bergamo, as well as in the Gardner Museum Collection.