L I O N AQ UA M A N I L E
This aquamanile in the form of a lion was made in Hildesheim around 1250. The long-legged animal’s body is highly stylised. Its head and alert eyes take in the surroundings. The thick mane is executed in voluminous, carefully arranged sections in relief over the animal’s body like a natural ornamental decoration. The delicate chasing is a naturalistic imitation of the mane’s structure. The lion’s face is depicted very precisely; the eyes, drawn down to the sides, look upwards and are expressively modelled. Finely chased, hatched lines and dots accentuate the eyebrows and the lines between the mouth and cheeks. Further strands of the mane are suggested in relief between the upright, perforated ears. The mouth is open and reveals two rows of teeth. The triangular shape of those immediately next to the spout, that appear to be holding onto it firmly, evoke fangs. The opening for filling the vessel is between the ears; the lid is missing. A dragon stretches the length of the lion’s back and serves as a handle. It supports itself with two of its legs at the back of the lion’s head and holds onto the mane with its mouth. The body of this mythical creature merges with the lion’s flat tail that arches upwards.
Germany, Hildesheim Circa 1250 Two modern inscriptions in ink: ‘1909 ER’ and ‘J. v S. G.’ Copper alloy, direct lost-wax casting Height: 27 cm, length: 27 cm Provenance: Private Collection, Germany, Bonn (by tradition in the family long before 1930). Related Literature: Olchawa, Joanna. Aquamanilien. Genese, Verbreitung und Bedeutung in islamischen und christlichen Zeremonien, Regensburg 2019. Knüvener, Peter (ed.). Mittelalterliche Kunst aus Berlin und Brandenburg, Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin, Berlin 2011. Brandt, Michael (ed.). Bild und Bestie. Hildesheimer Bronzen der Stauferzeit, exh. cat., Dom-Museum Hildesheim, Regensburg 2008.
The origin of such exquisite ewers, luxury objects, cast using the lost wax technique, is to be found in the Orient. They arrived in Europe as a result of the crusades and the spread of the Byzantine culture. Aquamaniles executed in bronze soon became firm favourites among Romanesque sculpted objects in the Holy Roman Empire.
Bloch, Peter. Aquamanilien. Mittelalterliche Bronzen für sakralen und profanen Gebrauch, Milan 1981. Falke, Otto von and Meyer, Erich. Romanische Leuchter und Gefäße. Gießgefäße der Gotik (Bronzegeräte des Mittelalters, vol. l), Berlin 1935.
They were used for washing hands as part of a liturgical ritual, as well as at mealtimes in a secular context. The lion was the most sought-after motif. Griffins, horses and equestrian figures were also popular subjects. Less than 150 lion aquamaniles are known to have survived to this day. Aquamaniles had their heyday between the early 12th and the late 16th centuries.
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