Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion

Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion

Aquamanile in the Form of a Lion. Culture: German. Dimensions: 12 9/16 x 4 5/8 x 12 1/2 in., 11.76lb. (31.9 x 11.8 x 31.8 cm, 5336g) Thickness: 1/16-1/8 in. (0.16-0.35 cm). Date: ca. 1400. This elaborate water vessel was intended for handwashing. A specialty of metalworkers in German-speaking lands for centuries--from the twelfth to the fifteenth--they are called aquamanilia, from the Latin words for water (aqua) and hand (manus). Broad-chested, mane protruding, and mouth open, the lion is unabashedly proud and alert. To create this exceptional king of the beasts, the artist first made a rough clay model and then molded wax around it. Next he coated the wax with a mixture of brick, clay, and ashes before melting the wax to form a space that could be filled with molten metal.

copper alloy

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Album / Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

Model: No - Property: No
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3981 x 3982 px | 45.4 MB

33.7 x 33.7 cm | 13.3 x 13.3 in (300 dpi)