Information

Artist: Giovanni Francesco Susini

Country: Italy

Date: circa 1630-1640

Analysis

The most striking feature of this artwork is the sleek bronze medium used to accentuate the stature of these two majestic animals. The horse was more rusted than the lion, which could be symbolic of the horse’s status as the prey, and therefore, degraded. This sculpture is a lifelike representation of the animal.

The lion’s hunting prowess is emphasized, with the predatory bite marks and claw marks vividly apparent, seeping through the metallic horse’s hide. The lion embodies fierceness through its dominant position over the horse. Three of the lion’s limbs are firmly planted onto its prey, with the fourth on the floor for support. The horse, on the other hand, with its neck writhing in pain and hooves thrashing in urgency, is desperately trying to escape the ironclad grasp of its predator. This realistic depiction of a lion attacking a horse, from the lion’s positioning to the horse’s defiance against its inevitable fate, would suggest that Susini is familiar with wild animals in combat. While the horse has a face of agony, one would expect the lion to have one of unwavering superiority. However, the lion appears to have a somber countenance, as if it’s expressing how the nature of this scene is purely business, purely due to its placement on the food chain in relation to the opposing animal. This detail is only apparent if one views the lion from below, effectively making this sentiment hidden to the casual viewer. Another feature to note is the lion’s mane, having intricate twists and turns within its locks of fur, which embodies the lion’s regal nature. Overall, this sculpture highlights this intimidating predator of nature, which makes its sad facial expression all the more bewildering.