Medallion: Two Lions in Combat
maker
Unknown
Date12th century - 13th century
Place MadeVenice, Veneto, Italy, Europe
MediumMarble
Dimensions30.5 cm (12 in.)
ClassificationsArchitectural Elements
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberS5n7
eMuseum ID728742
EmbARK ObjectID11166
TMS Source ID412
Last Updated8/14/24
Status
Not on viewWeb CommentaryIsabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.
BibliographyNotesGilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 42. (the group as 12th-13th century, Venetian)
Walter Cahn. "Romanesque Sculpture in American Collections. IV. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston." Gesta (1969), pp. 56-59, no. 14r.
Cornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), pp. 64-66, no. 93j.
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 29. (the medallions disucssed as a group)
Walter Cahn. "Romanesque Sculpture in American Collections. IV. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston." Gesta (1969), pp. 56-59, no. 14r.
Cornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), pp. 64-66, no. 93j.
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 29. (the medallions disucssed as a group)
ProvenanceNotesIn September of 1897, Isabella Stewart Gardner purchased many pieces of Venetian relief sculpture and architectural elements in anticipation of the creation of her museum. These purchases included 35 marble medallions or 'paterae,' and in 1899 she purchased three more medallions for a total of 38. These medallions were all purchased in Venice, the majority coming from the dealers Francesco Dorigo and Moisé dalla Torre and one more from the art dealer Antonio Marcato. The 1899 purchases were also made in Venice, an additional patera coming from Francesco Dorigo and two from the art dealer and restorer Dino Barozzi. Gardner installed at least one of her medallions in the Conservatory at Green Hill, her residence in Brookline, Massachusetts, by about 1900 before the group was reinstalled in the Courtyard of Fenway Court.
This patera is probably one of two objects described as "patera Lions / tondos" in Gardner's receipts (museum archives). Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from Moisé dalla Torre for 125 lire on 10 September 1897.
This patera is probably one of two objects described as "patera Lions / tondos" in Gardner's receipts (museum archives). Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from Moisé dalla Torre for 125 lire on 10 September 1897.
