Subjects for sculpture: guardian beasts
Animals are often portrayed as guardians in sculpture. These are commonly found on buildings, especially at entrances, and on funerary monuments and tombs, where they sometimes act also as guides to the next world. The V&A has many examples of animal sculpture in both roles in its collections.
Lions and lion hybrids
Because of its physical strength and ferocity, the animal most commonly used as a guardian beast is the lion. In Christian symbolism the lion represents vigilance and watchfulness because it was thought to sleep with its eyes open. Lion hybrids include the griffin (also known as a gryphon), a mythical beast combining the beak, wings and talons of an eagle and the body of a lion and the winged lion which is the symbol of St Mark the Evangelist.
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Dogs
Unlike lions, dogs are commonly valued as guardians and protectors in life, as well as portrayed as such in sculpture. They are also associated with death in many cultures. One of the best known examples is the monstrous Cerberus, Roman guardian of the Underworld. Dogs often take the role of guide and interpreter for the soul of the deceased but also represent fidelity and watchfulness, qualities that make them particularly suitable as guardian beasts.
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A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Carvings, Casts and Collectors: The Art of Renaissance Sculpture (Hardback)

This volume brings together new research by some of the world's leading experts, exploring the artistic production and cultural context of Renaissance…
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Thu 11 April 2013 13:00

FREE TALK: Led by Heike Zech, V&A Sculpture, Metals, Ceramics and Glass Department






















