Important Notice

KARNATAKA, 15TH - 16TH CENTURY
Granite
15.25 in (39 cm) high

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE
The Rumi Mistry Collection, Mumbai

Lions have been celebrated through history for their strength and grandeur, and are often associated with nobility for their regal bearing. They have caught the imagination of many cultures and have been seen in various incarnations since antiquity. In ancient Assyria and Persia, the lion was given special status and considered a royal animal. Closer to home, they are encountered on seals from the Indus Valley civilization and atop the Ashoka pillar. The present lot, carved from the black granite native to Karnataka, is a rendering that is in the same tradition as the mythical lions of yore. The lion is also the vahana of Durga and may often be seen guarding the doorways to her temples.

KARNATAKA, 15TH - 16TH CENTURY
Granite
15.25 in (39 cm) high

NON-EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY

PROVENANCE
The Rumi Mistry Collection, Mumbai

Lions have been celebrated through history for their strength and grandeur, and are often associated with nobility for their regal bearing. They have caught the imagination of many cultures and have been seen in various incarnations since antiquity. In ancient Assyria and Persia, the lion was given special status and considered a royal animal. Closer to home, they are encountered on seals from the Indus Valley civilization and atop the Ashoka pillar. The present lot, carved from the black granite native to Karnataka, is a rendering that is in the same tradition as the mythical lions of yore. The lion is also the vahana of Durga and may often be seen guarding the doorways to her temples.