Pair of Lions
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Pair of Lions” now? Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Cleveland, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
In the style of the Donvidé school founded by Aqueminon Donvidé in 1909, this lion was created for the royal family at Abomey as well as for French colonial officials and foreign visitors. Rulers of the powerful Fon kingdom of Dahomey possessed objects that glorified their military might and spiritual power. Each object had visual symbols or crests recalling a praise or "strong name" of its owner. Powerful lions with full manes, symbolic of the 19th-century king Glele, were borrowed from European heraldry sources because no lions existed in this part of West Africa. Metaphorically, the lions alluded to Glele's victories over his enemies.
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 1965.323
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art — © the artist or rights holder
