Italian or Flemish school; 18th century.

Italian or Flemish school; XVIII century.
"The lion hunt".
Carved and polychrome wood.
Presents faults.
Measurements: 13 x 13 x 9 cm.
Sculptural group carved in wood whose composition shows a lion, traditional figure of power and dominion, facing several dogs in the act of hunting, configuring a moment of tension stopped in time. From the stylistic point of view, the work shows traits typical of the late baroque taste: accentuated movement, expressive dramatism and a marked attention to gesture. The modeling of the figures, with compact volumes but with incisive details (such as the marked ribs or the open jaws), suggests a naturalistic intention that does not renounce a certain stylization.
As for their attribution, both the Italian and Flemish schools of the 18th century shared an interest in hunting scenes as a decorative and moralizing motif. In the Flemish sphere, this type of representation has antecedents in the painting of animals and still lifes of the 17th century, while in Italy they are frequently integrated into the decorative sculptural tradition linked to aristocratic interiors. The piece could be placed at a crossroads of influences: the almost narrative expressiveness of Nordic roots and the more compact and ornamental compositional sense characteristic of southern Europe. The theme of the lion hunt is not merely anecdotal. Beyond its appearance as an animal scene, it can be read as an allegory of struggle, of the domination of nature or even of the confrontation between unequal forces.