Tourist Guide

The Winged Lion

I thought that the “Winged Lion” lamassu stood out to me the most at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, because of the naturalistic environment it was in.  While walking into the room, two symmetrical lamassi on either side made the area more regal to walk through.   The “Winged Lion” also intrigued me due to its immense sense of power within it.  This creature has the face of King Ashurnasirpal II and the body of a lion with the wings of a large bird or angel.  The mythical combination of generally powerful figures (a lion, the king, and the creature of flight) adds even more power to the sculpture along with the Alabaster medium that it is created out of.  This living rock sculpture stares right at you and transforms from human to mythical creature as you travel around the wall.

The “Winged Lion” lamassu was created in 883-859 B.C. during the reign of King Ashurnasirpal II and was a gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in1932.  After being excavated from Northern Mesopotamia, this 10 foot 3 ½ inch tall structure was placed in front of gateways within the palace, leading right to the king’s throne. These lamassi were to protect and support the Assyrian palaces, towering over the passerby as they enter the small hallway. This lamassu is plays a poignant role in the Near Eastern, Assyrian culture because it shows one of the many ways that leaders in this time period displayed how much power and protection they had in their present time or afterlife.