Fabulous Pair of Italian Terracotta Garden Lions

This is a fabulous large pair of 19th century Italian terracotta lions after the originals by Antonio Canova the famous 18th century Italian Architect and Sculptor. These are a fine pair of good scale and detail with great character. The pair are in the famous recumbent pose with head resting on crossed paws both modelled separately, posed towards each other. The original lions were sculpted by Antonio Canova in solid marble in 1792 for the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This pair are sculpted in red terracotta, faithful to the original design and have aged very nicely with great character and style. A fine and handsome pair, very rare indeed to find of this age being from the late Victorian era circa 1880. The pair are photographed here on separate stone slabs that are not included in the sale.