Brass water vessel in shape of standing lion with a spout at the mouth
Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

A polished brass figure of a lion standing on all fours with carved features, including a face, strands of hair on the head and chest, and outlines and joints on the legs. The lion’s eyes are surrounded by dark, expressive lines. Protruding from the lion’s mouth is a short cylindrical spout. There is a rectangular hole on top of the head between the ears. The lion’s tail is curled toward its back, where it connects to a long curved handle carved with decorative diagonal lines.

Gallery Text

Some of the most precious and finely wrought objects of the Middle Ages were made for use in the liturgical service of the church. Crosses and censers were carried in procession, while reliquaries, caskets, and shrines held the remains of saints or objects associated with them. Because of the sacred function of these objects, they were made of the most valuable materials available: ivory, bronze, enamel, rock crystal, and gold. Through their hallowed contents or their liturgical function, these objects provided access to the divine, yet they were also displays of wealth and craftsmanship. Censers and vessels were cast in bronze, while other objects, such as caskets and reliquaries, were assembled from a wooden core and covered with ivory, enamel, and gilded metal. Often, if such costly materials were out of reach, wood or other modest materials were painted and gilded to resemble them.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
58.1965
People
Unidentified Artist
Title
Aquamanile (water vessel) in the Form of a Lion
Classification
Vessels
Work Type
stopper
Date
13th-14th century
Places
Creation Place: Europe, Germany
Culture
German
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/217536

Location

Location
Level 2, Room 2440, Medieval Art
View this object's location on our interactive map

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Brass
Dimensions
24.4 x 10.8 x 27.3 cm (9 5/8 x 4 1/4 x 10 3/4 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Loan from the Collection of Edouard Sandoz
Object Number
58.1965
Division
European and American Art
Contact
am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 2440 Medieval, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of European and American Art at am_europeanamerican@harvard.edu