Description

Artist: Giovanni Francesco Susini

Country of origin: Italy

Name of Sculpture: A Lion Attacking a Horse

Date: ca. 1630−40

Medium: Bronze

 

Analysis

I visited The Frick Collection and as soon as I entered and took a left, a couple of sculptures caught my eye. They were sculptures of animals, another one depicting a leopard attacking a bull. As soon as I saw this sculpture, I knew this was the one I wanted to analyze. The lion is very life-like because of the way its body is sculpted. The hair, paws, and tail seem very carefully carved to enunciate the lion’s physical features and give him a sense of power. While the lion’s face looks brave and daring, the horse looks really scared with his mouth open and eyes widened. The horse seems to be resting on a rock or something solid, almost as if he needs support because of the lion’s attack.

The lion’s claws and teeth can be seen digging into the horse’s skin. The horse is definitely terrified, but is not trying to fight back. He is resting on the rock with his legs spread out, almost as if he has submitted to the lion’s power. The medium used also adds a touch to the sculpture. The marks from the lion’s attack on the horse can clearly be seen on the bronze. The lion’s body and horse’s neck also have marks, stressing the lion’s muscles and his power and the horse’s anxiety or strain. Overall, this sculpture gives me the notion that no matter the size or shape of another animal, the lion has always kept its power and status.