The Lion Fighter - Philadelphia, PA
N 39° 57.876 W 075° 10.806
18S E 484618 N 4423843
Huge bronze statue depicting animal savagery can be found to the left of the plaza steps leading to the southeastern entrance of the Philadelphia Art Museum. One of two equestrian statues flanking the 'Rocky' steps.
Waymark Code: WMAG91
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/11/2011
Views: 14
This is another dramatic, bronze statue outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Basically, this is a violent equestrian statue. It depicts a figure on a horse killing a lion. It is pretty gruesome. There is a companion sculpture across the plaza steps, also at the base which has another statue with the same flavor of this one.
The original Lion Fighter sits as a companion piece to Auguste Kiss's Mounted Amazon Attacked by a Panther on the steps of the National Museum in Berlin. The Fairmount Park Art Association purchased the original plaster cast for The Lion Fighter in 1889 and placed it in Memorial Hall for public viewing, along with a plaster version of the Amazon. This bronze was cast locally by the Bureau Brothers in 1892 for exhibition at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. When returned to Philadelphia, it was installed on a "jutting rock" on East River Drive. It was moved to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1929, where - as in Berlin - it accompanies a bronze cast of the Amazon. SOURCE
The sculptor was Albert Wolff (1814-1892) and the Bureau Brothers was the founder. The original was created in 1858, cast in 1892, relocated 1897 and relocated again in 1929. Like the other sculpture, this one also has a limestone base and the statue is of bronze. The sculpture is approximately 168 x 169 x 100 inches and the base is approximately 204 x 165 1/2 x 122 1/2 inches.
There are many naked, nude or indecently exposed statues in this area, this one being no exception. This statue has a nude male figure seated on a rearing horse. A roaring lion lying just beneath the horse reaches up and rakes its claws across the front proper right flank of the horse. The male figure holding a spear in his raised proper right hand is poised to stab the lion. The imagery is violent and fantastical.
This is one of those waymarks which is worth visiting. I parked in the parking lot inside Eakins Oval on the southeaster side of the Museum. You need to take the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and get over into the first lane on the eft and turn into the oval. There will be someone there to collect $12 for parking. The lot is safe and watched by the folks collecting the money.