古代ローマ人 ブロンズ ライオン像 - 40 mm (No reserve price)

Ancient Roman Bronze Lion Figure

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: 1st–2nd century A.D.
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 40 mm
Condition: Good condition

No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 732

The current owner purchased the Ancient Roman Bronze Lion Figure from an auction house in Schiedam, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, a private collector (N.N.) from the Netherlands, stated that the object had been in his collection since the 1990s.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously formed part of a private collection in the Netherlands since the 1990s.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This small bronze figure depicts a stylised lion in profile, one of the most enduring symbols of strength, courage, and protection in Roman art. The openwork design and attachment holes indicate that it was originally intended as a decorative fitting, likely mounted on a larger object such as furniture, a casket, harness equipment, or another bronze fitting.

Lions occupied an important place in Roman visual culture and were frequently used as protective motifs. They adorned household furnishings, military equipment, architectural decoration, and luxury objects, where they served both an ornamental and symbolic purpose. Their fierce appearance conveyed authority and vigilance, while their image was believed to provide protection against harmful influences.

Roman bronze workshops produced fittings such as this using established casting techniques, followed by careful finishing and detailing. Decorative bronze mounts were manufactured in large numbers and distributed throughout the Roman Empire, reflecting the high level of craftsmanship achieved by Roman metalworkers. Similar examples have been recovered from settlements, villas, military sites, and urban centres across the Roman world.

Dating to the 1st–2nd century A.D., this figure belongs to the height of the Roman Imperial period, when decorative bronze fittings formed an integral part of everyday objects used by both civilians and the military. It forms a tangible connection to the ancient world, where even functional objects were enhanced with finely crafted imagery that combined artistic expression with symbolic meaning.