Description

C19th Italian 'Grand Tour' carved serpentine marble sculpture of the winged Lion of St.Mark .
Well-executed carved green serpentine marble or Verde Prato , study of the winged Lion of St.Mark , the symbol of Venice and formerly of the Venetian Republic. Depicted with the front paws of the male lion upon an opened bible on St.Marks Gospel , his tail coiled between his rear legs .
St.Mark represented as a lion , is derived from Marks description of John the Baptist in the Old Testament. Venetian tradition states that when St.Mark was travelling through Europe, he arrived at a lagoon in Venice , whereby an angel appeared to him and told him that this was the place his body would rest. The remains of St. Mark were later stolen from Alexandria and interred in the Basilica of St.Mark in Venice .
The dark green Verde Prato or serpentino (due to it's resemblance to snake-skin) marble , has a distinctive variegated colour and has been quarried for centuries near the town of Figline , a few miles from Prato , northwest of Florence, Italy .
In excellent original condition with good attention to detail in the body , face and feathered wings of the sculpture. Integrally mounted on a rectangular plinth base with a rusticated ground .
H 5"
W 6"
D 3"
Italy , Venice c. 1880
Established in the Cathedral City of Worcester for over 40 years ,M.Lees&Sons , run by Michael Lees ,have been dealing with public and trade from show-rooms in an early Georgian town-house. We aim to provide a straight-forward approach to our business and build lasting relationships with our customers. As members of the 'London and Provincial Antique Dealers Association' , we provide full descriptive details , date ,authenticity and any available provenance ,with full disclosure of any restoration or repair which may have taken place .
Whether buying for pleasure , decoration or investment, we welcome you to our web-site or premises .
Past projects have included advising clients on forming and disposing of collections , furnishing period properties , hotel and commercial projects , also a shoot-room and lodge .
All goods are available to view and owned by M.Lees&Sons .
If visiting, a telephone call prior is advisable as due to the demands of the business the show-room does not have regular hours . Please feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance .
www.leesantiquesworcester.com.
Tel. 01905 26620 / 07860826218
Located in the centre of Worcester in the shadow of the Cathedral with easy parking nearby. Exit Junction 7 M5 and follow the signs for Worcester Porcelain Museum . Our premises are located 100 metres from the Museum and 50 metres from Pay&Display car-park in nearby King St.
Internal Ref: ML 1910

Dimensions

Height = 12 cm (5")
Width = 15 cm (6")
Depth = 4.5 cm (2")