-Lion c. 1905 - 1931

This cast iron 'Lion' was made by the A.C. Williams Company, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The way this figure is cast, it makes me think about process, like, how do you even make something like this? The mottled effect on the surface of the lion gives it a kind of aged quality, like it's been hanging around for a while. The colors are earthy - browns and golds - and it feels like they’re embedded in the metal itself. You can almost feel the hand of the maker, pressing and shaping the metal into its final form. Look at the way the mane is rendered - those deep, flowing lines that give the lion its majestic air. It reminds me a little bit of some of the work by Elie Nadelman, the way he simplified forms, but with this added layer of texture and patina. It’s a piece that rewards close looking.