Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A stunning marble panel fragment featuring a lively relief image of a lioness pouncing upon a deer. The ungulate leaps forward, but looks back upon her pursuer, who uses her muscular hind legs to spring forward, brushing the posterior of her prey with her sharp claws. Gazing determinedly forward, the ferocious feline displays a rounded snout, furry face, and slightly open mouth, exposing fierce fangs. A carefully sculpted tree frames the right-side of the scene, presenting leafy branches, while a tuft of grass grows just below the deer. Images of lions and prey were quite popular in Roman funerary art and were intended to symbolize the power of death and the triumph of Rome. A beautiful, dynamic image all rendered in light pink marble emitting a warm glow. Size: 17" W x 8" H (43.2 cm x 20.3 cm)
In the classical world, lions symbolized power, wealth, and might. They were famously featured in many ancient myths, perhaps the most famous being that of Hercules (Greek Herakles) slaying the Nemean lion for his first labor. The lion's fur was believed to be impenetrable to attacks since according to legend it was made of gold and its claws were far sharper than swords with the power to slice through armor. In the end, Hercules defeated the lion by strangling it and wore its skin.
Lions were also favorite iconography for buildings, coins, and statues. Examples include the Lion Gate to the Citadel of Mycenae, the Terrace of the Lions on the island of Delos, and the lion hunt mosaic from Pella featuring Alexander engaged in a lion hunt. Of course, lions were also used in the Roman arenas where they would fight other animals, such as tigers and bears.
Provenance: private Montclair, New Jersey, USA collection, purchased at an Antique Show in California in the early 2000s and imported from Spain in the 1990s
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#178037
Condition
Fragment of a larger piece with losses to peripheries and nicks, chips, and abrasions in areas. Otherwise, very nice with good preservation of detail.