Antique Pair of Grand Tour Serpentine Marble Canova Lions, 19th Century

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Antique Pair of Grand Tour Serpentine Marble Canova Lions, 19th Century

About the Item

This is a superb pair of "serpentine" marble "Grand Tour" lions, after Antonio Canova (1757-1822), the Canova lions, dating from the late 19th century. The recumbent lions are snarling and mounted on striking rectangular marble bases. The craftsmanship is second to none throughout all aspects of this pair and they are sure to add an unparalleled touch of class to your home. Condition: In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 9 x width 20 x depth 8 Dimensions in inches: Height 3.5 x width 7.9 x depth 3.1 The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th century some South American, U.S., and other overseas youth joined in. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden. The primary value of the Grand Tour, it was believed, lay in the exposure both to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A grand tour could last from several months to several years. It was commonly undertaken in the company of a knowledgeable guide or tutor. The Grand Tour not only provided a liberal education but allowed those who could afford it the opportunity to buy things otherwise unavailable at home, and it thus increased participants' prestige and standing. Grand Tourists would return with crates of art, books, pictures, sculpture, and items of culture, which would be displayed in libraries, cabinets, gardens, and drawing rooms, as well as the galleries built purposely for their display; The Grand Tour became a symbol of wealth and freedom. Lost Wax Method sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue or the Latin, cera perduta is the process by which a bronze or brass is cast from an artists sculpture. In industrial uses, the modern process is called investment casting. An ancient practice, the process today varies from foundry to foundry, but the steps which are usually used in casting small bronze sculptures in a modern bronze foundry are generally quite standardized. Serpentine Marble / Verde Antico Serpentine is a major rock forming mineral and is found as a constituent in many metamorphic and weathered igneous rocks. Serpentine’s structure is composed of layers of silicate tetrahedrons linked into sheets; this structure is what gives it its high flexural strength rating. Verde Antico is the commercial name for the serpentine “marble” derived from highly sheared ultramafic rocks that have been rewelded and metasomatized by the process of serpentinization. These ultramafic bodies are now recognized as segments of ancient oceanic crust that became part of the eastern North American continent during the Taconian orogeny. This is considered to be middle Ordovician in age, around 450 million years ago. More deformation and metamorphism took place during the Acadian orogeny around 360 million years ago.

Dimensions:
Height: 3.55 in (9 cm)Width: 7.88 in (20 cm)Depth: 3.15 in (8 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Materials and Techniques:
Marble
Period:
1880-1889
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1880
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 088161stDibs: LU950610321411