An Egyptian Black Granite Lion
Roman Period or Later
Length 12 7/16 inches (31.3 cm).
Property from O'Gara and Wilson, Ltd., Chesterton, Indiana
Provenance:
Art Market, Cairo, Egypt, prior to 1955.
L.A. Wilkie, Des Plaines, Illinois, 1955-1974.
Wilkie Brothers Foundation, Illinois, 29 January 1974-2007 (Inv. no. E42); where acquired by the present owner.
Exhibited:
Wilkie Foundation Exhibition, The Story of Measurement, 1957-1974. [a travelling exhibition within the United States]
Published:
L.A. Wilkie, ed., The Story of Measurement (Exhibition Catalogue), Des Plaines, 1957, p. 4.
One of the most iconic images throughout history has been the lion. A graceful depiction of strength, power, and royalty, this exceptional recumbent lion stands apart for its remarkable state of preservation.
To the ancient Egyptians, lions were avatars for the gods, and as such they were imbued with majestic powers. Large representations of lions were commissioned in hard stone by pharaohs to protect temple complexes and shrines, while smaller versions were used as votive offerings by the Egyptian elite. After Rome’s conquest of Egypt, these types of sculptures became fairly common in Imperial Rome. The most notable example of these are the two Egyptian basalt lions likely taken from Egypt during the reign of Domitian to decorate the Iseum Campense, a temple dedicated to Isis and Serapis in Rome. The lions became famous, in large part, due to the fact they were adapted into fountains.
This black granite lion comes from the collection of the renowned inventor, Leighton A. Wilkie and was acquired from Cairo, Egypt in 1955 with the aid of Mr. Niazi I. Mostafa. Together with loaned objects from The National Museum of Egypt, The Oriental Institute, and The Science Museum of England the lion was first displayed and published in a seminal exhibition titled The Story of Measurement, which showcased the evolution of line measurements. This exhibition, as well as a future version of it in September 1970, would go on to travel around the United States and was acknowledged by many industry leaders for its "interesting, historical background” and the "practical manner" in which it portrayed “the science of measurement throughout the ages”.
For a comparable statute, see an Egyptian Basalt Lion from the Ptolemaic Period (National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon, Portugal).