The polychrome delftware lion

This polychrome figurine of the wild animal dates from the 18th century and originates from Delft, The Netherlands.

From the mid-eighteenth century onwards it was the fashion to decorate the interior with Delftware models of animals. The popularity of the Delft animals in the eighteenth century is also apparent from the fact that while the early Delft figures were based on oriental prototypes, Delft faience models of recumbent cows and horses were also copied in Japanese porcelain.

This unique and highly rare figurine of the anthropomorphic type of the lion had been made with greater precision. The figure of the animal is seated on the blue pedestal. The lion is holding a yellow-painted sword in his right paw. The animal is sitting carelessly under the tree, looking proudly with his head held high. The painter of the figurine used four basic colors such as cobalt oxide, green, yellow, iron-red. The texture of the lion's fur was marked with small, pale manganese lines.

Height: ca. 14 cm (ca. 5,5 in.)

The diameter of the pedestal: ca. 10,5 cm (ca. 4 in.)

Source: https://www.aronson.com/a-delftware-menagerie/ (online 22.05.2020)