Lion

Copied Edward Kemeys, Lion, ca. 1893, bronze, 8 3⁄4 x 12 x 3 in. (22.2 x 30.5 x 7.7 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of J. Willis Johnson, 1984.141.5
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Lion
Artist
Date
ca. 1893
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
8 3⁄4 x 12 x 3 in. (22.2 x 30.5 x 7.7 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of J. Willis Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — lion
Object Number
1984.141.5
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1984.141.5

Artwork Description

In 1893, Edward Kemeys sculpted several pieces for the World’s Columbian Exposition, including the two lions that flank the entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago. This piece may have been a study for those colossal creatures. Kemeys captured the lion’s proud stance and defiant stare. The stillness and alert pose create the sense that the animal has found its prey.