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Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion

ca. 1230 or early nineteenth century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 958
An aquamanile, from the Latin words for water (aqua) and hand (manus), is a vessel used in the ritual of hand washing in both religious and secular contexts—by the priest before Mass and in a private household before a meal. Surviving medieval examples were cast in copper alloy in the form of animals or figures. This crouching lion may have been made in Germany in the early thirteenth century, although some technical aspects point to a much later date. Thus, it may be an example of a medieval revival piece from northern Germany dating to the early nineteenth century.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion
  • Date: ca. 1230 or early nineteenth century
  • Culture: North German, Lubeck (?)
  • Medium: Bronze; binary copper alloy (approx. 88% copper, approx. 8% tin) hollow cast,
    chased, engraved, and gilded.
  • Dimensions: H. 20.7 cm, w. 12.4 cm, l. 25.3 cm, wt. 2867 g.
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
  • Object Number: 1975.1.1410
  • Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Aquamanile in the Form of Aristotle and Phyllis, Bronze; Quaternary copper alloy (approx. 72% copper, approx. 17% zinc,<br/>approx. 6% lead, approx. 3% tin)., South Netherlandish
Aquamanile in the Form of Aristotle and Phyllis
South Netherlandish
late 14th or early 15th century
Double cup (Doppelscheuer), Colorless (slightly gray) nonlead glass. Blown, enameled, gilt., Façon de venise, Germany or Silesia (possibly Petersdorf)
Double cup (Doppelscheuer)
Façon de venise, Germany or Silesia (possibly Petersdorf)
late 19th century
Aquamanile in the Form of Samson and the Lion, Bronze; quaternary copper alloy (approx. 78% copper, approx. 10% zinc, approx. 6% tin, approx. 5% lead) with natural patina. Remnants of the iron armature are in the lion’s legs and the figure of Samson., Northern European (?), possibly German

Aquamanile in the Form of Samson and the Lion

Northern European (?), possibly German
ca. 1380–1400
Aquamanile in the Form of a Knight on Horseback, Bronze; Quaternary copper alloy with a high content of zinc (approx. 73% copper, approx. 15% zinc, approx. 7% lead, approx. 3% tin) with natural patina, hollow cast; remnants of the clay core<br/>and iron armature in the legs, German, Lower Saxony (?)

Aquamanile in the Form of a Knight on Horseback

German, Lower Saxony (?)
ca. 1350
Aquamanile in the Form of a Griffin, Bronze; Ternary copper alloy with a very high content of zinc (approx. 74%<br/>copper, approx. 22% zinc, approx. 2% lead) with natural patina, hollow cast., German, Nuremberg
Aquamanile in the Form of a Griffin
German, Nuremberg
ca. 1425–50

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