Renaissance Bronze Lion. Germany Or Italy, 16th Century.

Renaissance Bronze Lion.

Germany or Italy, 16th century.

Measurements
8.5 × 7.2 × 3.5 cm

Description
A small bronze lion cast as a solid figure, the surface retaining a dark patina with naturally brightened high points from extended handling. The modelling is concise, with a compact body, broad forequarters, and a slightly raised head conveying a poised and attentive stance. The mane is rendered in long, parallel strands incised with controlled linearity, a treatment that reflects the continuation of late Gothic conventions within German workshops, while also aligning with the more classicising tendencies found in North Italian bronze production of the period.

The anatomical structure is simplified yet purposeful, characteristic of functional or cabinet bronzes produced across central Europe in the sixteenth century. Its scale and form correspond to small bronzes intended for Kunstkammer settings or as elements within larger composite objects such as inkstands or caskets, where the lion served as an emblem of vigilance, authority, and learned taste.