"Leon Medici". France, 18th- 19th century

"Leon Medici". France, 18th- 19th century.
Patinated bronze; yellow Siena marble pedestal.
Measurements: 24 x 37,5 x 13 cm.

Elegant reproduction in patinated bronze on marble base of the so-called "Medici lions", a famous sculptural ensemble composed of two lion figures located in the Loggia dei Lanzi, in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Their presence, symbolically flanking the access to one of the most representative spaces of Florentine civic power, has given these sculptures an iconic status within the artistic and political imaginary of the city.

The first of the lions is a marble sculpture from Roman times. This piece was rediscovered and transferred to Florence in the context of Renaissance humanist collecting. The second lion was realized in 1598 by the sculptor Flaminio Vacca, in order to create a pair that would harmonize with the Roman original. Both sculptures adopt the same iconography: the lion in an upright position, with one of the front paws resting on a sphere.