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<em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg)
Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg)
<em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg)

Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg)

<em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382_wwgA-1.jpg)

Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382_wwgA-1.jpg)

<em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382_NegA_bw.jpg)

Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382_NegA_bw.jpg)

<em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382_NegB_bw.jpg)

Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382_NegB_bw.jpg)

<em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382a-b_divinefelines_2013.jpg)

Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.33.382a-b_divinefelines_2013.jpg)

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Recumbent Lion

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

The Egyptians used leonine images for a variety of purposes, including depictions of lions themselves, as figures of powerful goddesses such as Wadjet, Bastet, or Sakhmet, or as symbols of the king. Artisans had to add specific iconographic details to help the viewer understand what lilian" was meant. Recent research has demonstrated that sculptures such as this, showing a recumbent lion with his head turned and his paws crossed, perhaps always represent the king.

MEDIUM Limestone
  • Reportedly From: Giza, Egypt
    • DATES 305–30 B.C.E.
    PERIOD Ptolemaic Period
    DIMENSIONS 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg) 33.382a: 89 lb. (40.37kg) 33.382b: 55 lb. (24.95kg)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 33.382a-b
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    PROVENANCE Archaeological provenance not yet documented; before 1914, purchased from Joseph Altounian of Paris, France by the Brummer Gallery, Paris; June 16, 1922, purchased from the Brummer Gallery (P341) by Elie Nadelman of New York, NY; February 24, 1932, purchased from Elie Nadelman by the Brummer Gallery, New York; October 5, 1933, purchased from the Brummer Gallery (N2981) by the Brooklyn Museum.
    Provenance FAQ
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Large recumbent limestone lion made in two parts, resting on an oblong base, front paws crossed, tail curled on base in front with the head facing front. Mane has incised details. Condition: Sculpture in two parts (a=head; b=rear part). Apparently made that way originally as the breaks are evidently ancient. Large ancient dowels are on each inner side of the two pats. Purpose of having two parts not evident. Said to be a sculptor's trial model. Various minor chips. Over rear of head extending over one ear was heavy crystallized gravel deposit. The workmanship is good.
    EXHIBITIONS
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Recumbent Lion, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2016
    "CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
    You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
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    <em>Recumbent Lion</em>, 305–30 B.C.E. Limestone, 13 3/4 x 11 x 27 3/8 in., 144 lb. (35 x 28 x 69.5 cm, 65.32kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 33.382a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 33.382a-b_PS9.jpg)

    TAGS

    Egyptian
    lion

    TAGS

    Egyptian
    lion

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