Lot 2: Follower of Giovanni Pisano, Italian (1250-1315) An Italian 14th century marble lion

the reclining lion on an integral base, with the base for a column on its back, 40cm high, 46cm wide (15.5" high, 18" wide)

This lion is clearly inspired by the marble lions employed by both Giovanni and his father Nicola Pisano in numerous large marble pulpits. Lions of similar form can be seen in the pulpits executed for the Baptistery of Pisa, the Duomo of Siena and the pulpit of Saint Andrew at Sant'Andrea, Pistoia. Obviously designed to support a marble column, the present lion may well have also been part of a pulpit.