The sculpture depicts a sphinx - a mythical creature with features of a human and a lion, including wings. The sphinx has a lion's body, wings, and a human-like head with elongated facial features. The material appears to be bronze or a similar metal with a green patina and areas of darker brown. The creature is shown in a reclining position, with its head turned to the side and detailed feather-like patterns on its wings. The sculpture is on a flat base with geometric patterns along the edge. It could be a fragment as one edge appears to be cut flat, suggesting it may have been part of a larger piece.
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The sculpture depicts a sphinx - a mythical creature with features of a human and a lion, including wings. The sphinx has a lion's body, wings, and a human-like head with elongated facial features. The material appears to be bronze or a similar metal with a green patina and areas of darker brown. The creature is shown in a reclining position, with its head turned to the side and detailed feather-like patterns on its wings. The sculpture is on a flat base with geometric patterns along the edge. It could be a fragment as one edge appears to be cut flat, suggesting it may have been part of a larger piece.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Sphinx to Right

Florentine 15th Century

Date
15th century
Medium
bronze//Dark red-brown patina
Dimensions
overall (silhouetted contour): 6.5 x 7.1 cm (2 9/16 x 2 13/16 in.) gross weight: 75 gr
Classification
Sculpture · Applique
Accession number
1957.14.145
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1300 to 1400
Department
CSD

Subjects and terms

  • Florentine
  • fantasy
  • animal
  • Renaissance
  • Renaissance Plaquettes
  • Sphinx
Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 1945 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

NGA object ID 43865. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.