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Walking lion

18th century
Not on view
Cameos displaying animals, a mainstay of ancient Roman glyptics revived by Neoclassical engravers, filled the cabinets of European royalty. Particularly fetching is the way the carver of the leopard capitalized on brownish flecks in the stone to give the beast its spots. The grinning recumbent lion shows a fine contrast of matte and polished surfaces. The carver of the walking lion nearly exhausted the stone’s red layer when forming the tail.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Walking lion
  • Date: 18th century
  • Culture: probably Italian
  • Medium: Sardonyx, mounted in gold as a ring
  • Dimensions: Overall: 13/16 x 1 1/8 x 7/8 in. (2.1 x 2.9 x 2.3 cm); visible cameo (confirmed): 17.1 x 25.5 mm
  • Classification: Lapidary Work-Gems
  • Credit Line: The Milton Weil Collection, 1939
  • Object Number: 39.22.39
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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